Captain's Hart, Soul and Home
by Heartlocket1004
Summary: For two years Arianna and Steve have been hiding from most of the world while trying to raise their son. For two years they lived quietly and it seems that the world will no longer need them. But when Thanos and his Black Order arrive, the world needs them once more and the stakes have never been higher. But with so much more to lose, will they be strong enough to face the Titan?
1. Move out

*A/N I do not own Marvel or any of its characters, only my own OC. Story contains spoilers for the movies.

 **ARC 1: Infinity War**

 _11 years ago_

"No need to worry." The stranger said calmly. "We're safe… well safer."

Arianna remained tense, staring warily at the man who stood opposite her potential savior. The archer in question had finally turned away from her, moving his stance to be facing the new man. But despite the fact that the archer was no longer looking her way, Arianna's eyes still narrowed uneasily, disliking how she was sandwiched between the two men.

The man in the suit seemed to notice her discomfit, and he waved his hand. Immediately, the archer moved away, heading over to stand next to the body of Arianna's would-be killer while his superior addressed the teenage girl.

"Arianna Hart. My name is Phil Coulson. We would like to hire you. We would hire you as our computer technician officially, but we'd like to ask you to join our spy operations - specifically, strike team Delta. You'd work with Barton, here," Coulson nodded at the archer, "and one other person."

Arianna looked at the two men, weighing Coulson's words and their offer.

"Why me?" She asked a last, and Coulson smiled at her.

"We told you - you're what we need." He replied.

"But don't think we'll go easy on you because of that." Barton interjected. "You'll still need to train hard; the job's not easy and we'd be expecting you to put your life on the line every time. You're saving people, but it's from the shadows. I mean that. No coming home to a peaceful family life."

Arianna stood looking from one man to the other, contemplating the pros and the obvious cons of their deal. She glanced again at her would-be killer, the assassin sent to take her out simply because she showed potential to be a threat. Finally she thought about the good she could do, and she knew her decision was made. She took a deep breath.

"I'm in."

* * *

 _Present_

Arianna stood quietly by the window to the small apartment, her gaze unfocused as she stared unseeingly out into the rain that pattered softly against every surface of the Dutch village.

Sometimes, it was so hard to believe it had already been over ten years since she had left her old life behind for a life of secrets, danger, and the supernatural. Ten years since she had shaken Phil Coulson's hand, trained under Clint Barton, and befriended the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, herself. Six years since the Avengers Initiative had been rolled out. Six years since her life had been changed forever once more.

But it hadn't been just her life. The entire world had changed that day and continued to change since. No longer were alien attacks something out of fantasy or as shocking as that first Chitauri attack on New York had been. In just the past two years alone, Arianna had heard of the strangest rumours: a puzzling disaster event in Hong Kong that had been caught on a security camera two streets over, but strangely had not existed on the cameras on the actual street the disaster supposedly happened on; the craziness that had happened in New York that allegedly had to do with the boy Tony had brought to their fight at Leipzig airport (who was apparently known in New York circles as 'Spiderman'); and of course, there was T'challa's opening of his home country to the public eye after a brief but tragic civil war within the Wakandan king's borders.

Scrounging up such supernatural news had made her truly appreciate the possibility that Vision had been correct in suggesting that perhaps, by having their team thrust into the limelight, the Avengers had been a catalyst for the change. Yet as much as the world was changing and new, unprecedented threats appearing, there were just as many heroes (big and small) coming to light.

Arianna had been impressed with Scott Lang's story (after researching the full description of what had happened in San Francisco and reading between the lines of the 'official' statement regarding a scientific experiment gone wrong at Pym Technologies). But after becoming aware that heroes who hadn't been explicitly known to their team existed, Arianna had realized that there were far more said heroes than she could have imagined. Of course there was T'challa's Black Panther and the boy who called himself Spiderman, whom Steve and Sam had the pleasure (or displeasure in Sam's case) of meeting in Bucharest. And there was Thor out somewhere in the universe searching for the infinity stones, whatever those were. But there was also whoever had possibly saved Hong Kong; and Arianna was certain there were more that she hadn't even yet managed to get on her radar.

At the same time, what concerned her was the increasing reasons these hidden heroes were being forced to come to attention. Whatever had attacked Hong Kong had torn the city apart before it was somehow restored; the man that Spiderman had taken down had almost crashed Tony's jumbo jet into New York after failing to try steal all Tony's latest weapons technology; Wakanda had almost been led to start a war amongst all of humanity. And that was not even including all the evil Arianna had herself faced, whether human or not. Whether with Steve or not.

And now, they had a son to think about...

"You're worrying again."

A small smile found its way onto her lips as Arianna turned to look at the doorway to the single bedroom. Steve was leaning in the doorway after placing Jim to sleep in the bedroom, and a wry smile was on the Captain's own face as he watched his wife.

"Was I being that obvious?" Arianna joked, and Steve grinned.

"Let's just say if Nat had been here, she would have railed into you for letting your guards fall so much."

"And after all the training she and Clint put me through." Arianna smiled. "I'm a failure as a spy."

"But not as their sister." Steve observed. "Or my wife, and our son's mother."

Arianna's smile widened as Steve walked over. Placing his phone on the windowsill, he wrapped his arms around Arianna and pulled her close against his chest. Reaching up she played with the length of dark-blonde hair that threatened to fall into bright blue eyes, fingering the hair fondly before pushing it back for her husband and causing her wedding band to glint briefly on her left hand.

"It's getting too long." Steve sighed, and Arianna cocked her head thoughtfully.

"Maybe." She answered before kissing his cheek and giggling a little as his beard scratched against her chin. "But I like it. The rugged American look suits you, although I do kind of miss the star-spangled soldier thing you had going when I met you."

Steve snorted at her teasing before he caught her hand between his and moved it from his fringe to his lips where he pressed a soft kiss on her wrist. Arianna smiled but then sighed quietly.

Steve caught the small exhale of air, and he said softly, "We don't have to leave just yet."

"No," Arianna sighed again before giving Steve another small smile. "We've been here too long. I'm just a little tired of constantly moving especially since it takes Jim so long to settle down."

"I know." Steve murmured. "Barton clearly had the right idea buying a farm far away from everything and everyone where he could raise his family in peace. Maybe we should consider that as our next option."

"A quiet house in the middle of a cornfield, complete with white picket fence?" Arianna teased. "I'd likely go insane with boredom."

"Not once Jim starts to really run." Steve countered lightly. "Then it'll take all your training to keep up with him and stop him from the dangers of the tire swing we'll set up in the back."

Arianna laughed. Her gaze then softened and she placed her hand against Steve's cheek.

"You know, two years ago? I really would have gone crazy just thinking about that kind of quiet life." She murmured, and Steve's lips curved up into an understanding smile.

"But now..."

"Now, it doesn't sound so bad, does it?" Steve finished for her, and Arianna nodded.

"It's not just because of Jim, either." Arianna added. "I'm just… I'm tired of it. I'm tired of fighting and risking our lives, not knowing if we'll make it out together. I'm scared of the idea that Jim will one day wake up without one of us. But..."

"We can't stop either." Steve murmured, and Arianna nodded in agreement.

"The idea that something bad happens because we don't want to fight anymore? That terrifies me the most." She admitted. "The thought that people might suffer because I was selfish - it haunts me. And yet, I can't help but want to be selfish; to keep my family safe."

"I know." Stevee murmured, holding his hand against Arianna's on his cheek. "I've also felt it more since Jim was born. I want to fold up my suit and be there for my family. And with our situation being what it is, it would be so simple to do that - to disappear and just live by ourselves out in the country somewhere. But then I remember how we got here: I remember the people who were hurt, the people who died because we couldn't protect them. And I know I can't just sit by and let it happen."

"I guess there is no right answer." Arianna said wryly, and Steve smiled slightly.

"I thought spies loved the grey area." He joked lightly, and Arianna chuckled.

"Wives and mothers don't." She tossed back, and Steve grinned.

Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss on Arianna's lips before he drew back and gazed seriously into her eyes.

"We'll figure it out - as long as we do it together." He promised, and Arianna nodded.

"As long as we're together." She agreed.

"I love you." Steve told his wife, and Arianna's smile widened.

"I-"

She broke off as she saw something flash on the television screen from the corner of her eye. Her attention captured, she placed her full focus on the picture that had appeared beside a breaking news headline, a growing coldness creeping up her spine as her brain processed what her eyes were telling her.

"What is it?" Steve asked, turning around to look at what had caught Arianna's attention.

He stilled as well, and Steve's expression became grim as he too stared at the news broadcast.

Arianna's eyes remained riveted on the dark brown gaze in the all-too familiar and somewhat painful to look at face of her ex-best friend. Beside the picture, the headline screamed: 'Tony Stark missing after chase into space: Will New York be facing another alien attack?'

"Tony..." Arianna whispered, and Steve tightened his hold around his wife.

"Looks like we're moving out after all." He said grimly. "I'll get Jim, you get the quinjet. We'll suit up on the way-"

Steve cut himself off as his phone started to ring. The couple stilled once more, before they both slowly turned to stare at the small flip-phone that sat on the windowsill. The small flip-phone that hadn't rung in almost one and a half years. The small flip-phone that Steve carried everywhere with him unless it was in the way of his wife and son.

The small flip-phone that theoretically only one person on Earth had the number to. And according to the news, that person was no longer on Earth.

Arianna turned her body, positioning herself to run to grab her son while Steve slowly leant over and picked up his phone. Snapping it open, he placed the phone against his ear and he kept his eyes locked with Arianna's as he answered carefully.

"Hello?"

*A/N And we are back! Thank you to everyone who waited so patiently for this, and I hope you're as excited as I am!


	2. Regroup

"And he didn't say where he was, or why he's back now?!" Arianna asked again as she took them off in the quinjet.

"No, he just said Tony needed us and to hurry." Steve answered as he pushed himself up from where he had strapped Jim's cradle into the back seat. Arianna frowned unhappily.

"That's it? Three years, and that's all he has to say?" Arianna asked, still skeptical, and Steve sighed as he strapped himself in beside her.

"We don't know what happened to him, Ria." He reminded her. "For all we know, Bruce may have been trapped somewhere."

"Right, and I'm sure while he was wherever he was, there was no television." Arianna muttered sarcastically. "So he had no idea how badly the team fell out, and he had no idea of the pain he gave my sister."

Steve sighed again.

"Ria, he really did sound like he didn't know what had happened." Steve said patiently. "He started off saying he'd heard from Tony that things weren't good between us-"

"Understatement of the century." Arianna muttered, but Steve continued, "But Tony needed us. The world would need us."

Arianna went quiet, but Steve saw the way her hands tightened around the controls. He reached out to place a steady hand on her shoulder, feeling as she relaxed slightly under his calm hold.

"You still push people away when you're angry." Steve chided and Arianna's lips curled up just slightly in an expression that was (to some) alarmingly similar to a certain redheaded spy.

"Old habits die hard." Arianna answered and Steve leant forward to press a kiss against his wife's temple.

"We'll figure something out. We always do." Steve murmured softly.

Arianna nodded, relaxing just slightly for the first time since Steve's phone had rung earlier that night.

"Thanks babe." Arianna sighed and Steve smiled.

"Any time, babe." He replied, leaning back into his seat.

The rest of their flight was relatively calm and quiet, though the pair became quickly alert once more as they closed in on their rendezvous point.

A familiar figure swept through the skies below and Arianna checked all her scanners four times before she followed Falcon's figure into the darkness of an abandoned hangar.

"Paranoid." Steve commented and Arianna shot back, "Kettle."

"So you're the pot?" Steve asked as Arianna landed the quinjet silently, her eyes taking in all the results from the scanners several times before she relaxed enough to unbuckle herself.

"Honey, do I look like a pot to you?" Arianna tossed back over her shoulder, giving Steve her honed seductive look over her shoulder.

The look was one she hadn't had to use in years and one she hadn't worn since even before the fiasco with the Accords. It sent a pleasant shiver down Steve's spine, one he quelled as he gave his wife a reproachful look.

"We're on high alert, babe. I really don't think that now is the time to be flirting with the man who's already married to you." Steve reminded and Arianna chuckled.

"You forget, _Captain_." She teased as she opened the gangway to the quinjet. "I was raised by Black Widow and Hawkeye - flirting is how we deal with stress."

"What every man wants to hear."

Both Arianna and Steve's smiles widened at the voice as Sam walked into the jet, his brow cocked and a playful smile on his lips as he continued.

"If your wife flirts when she's under stress, just what won't be on the table with the stake of the whole world resting on her shoulders?" Sam quipped cheekily and Arianna smirked.

"Don't test her." Steve advised, quickly cutting in before Arianna could unleash the tricks she knew courtesy of a certain Russian.

"Yeah, Sam, you can barely control yourself when I pull all the stops. Trust me when I say, even as a married woman, you wouldn't stand a chance against Ria if she did the same."

Said Russian appeared in the open gangway to the quinjet, her signature smirk widening into a genuine smile as Natasha looked at her friends.

"Nat." Arianna beamed as she moved to hug her friend though her her eyes were immediately arrested by the spy's hair.

Steve too looked surprised as he watched Arianna hug Natasha warmly, the Captain's eyes caught by the way the light bounced off the former redhead's head.

"Nice 'do." Arianna teased as she let go of her "sister" and examined Natasha's bleached silvery hair. The Widow shrugged.

"You'd be surprised how many people don't even look up at the colour." Natasha replied. "Besides, it helps keep my cover."

"I think I preferred you red." Steve joked and Natasha shot him an amused smile.

"And I preferred you blond." Natashed replied as she examined Steve's face. "Still haven't shaved?"

"It helps keep my cover." Steve quoted back at the Russian.

Natasha chuckled while Arianna added, "I like it."

"Of course you do." Natasha sniffed before she looked over into the corner of the quinjet. "And Wilson, don't think I haven't noticed you hogging Jim already."

"You were too busy talking hair." Sam answered from where he was cooing at Jim in his cradle.

The baby just watched the dark-skinned man with cool hazel eyes, highly unimpressed. He showed a little more enthusiasm when Natasha walked over, and Jim gurgled as the former redhead swooped down to kiss his forehead.

"Little tyke already knows the beautiful ladies." Sam grumbled and Natasha smirked smugly even though Jim was already losing interest in even her as he turned to examining his cradle once more.

"He's such a serious little man." Natasha observed before glancing over at the proud parents. "Must be your genes, Rogers."

Steve just snorted in response while Nat's eyes moved from gazing quite fondly at the little boy to the travel cradle he was settled inside.

"I like what you've done to his cradle." Nat commented as she touched the smooth casing of Jim's cradle. Her eyes scanned the deceptively simple black cradle, zooming in on the tiny light which beeped continuously in the corner of the right-side handle.

"It's not as good as something Tony could have done." Arianna answered, her throat tightening just slightly as she recalled her ex-and-now-missing-best friend. "But it's not too shabby either."

"Have you upgraded it again since I last saw it?" Sam asked curiously as he too noticed the light that hadn't been there before, and Arianna nodded.

"I've implanted a radar." She explained, indicating the tiny light. "If anything hostile comes anywhere near this cradle, it'll seal automatically and jettison away to safety based on the calculated impact size of the approaching hostile."

"Distance?" Natasha asked.

"50 miles."

Sam whistled in appreciation at Arianna's response while Natasha sniffed.

"Good enough I suppose." The former assassin joked cheekily, and Arianna's lips twitched into a smile.

"So, the cradle can track Phillip's heart rate and breathing, and send any alerts to your and Cap's watches," Sam listed dryly. "And it can not only fly, but it can seal and jettison itself to safety if it senses any incoming. What else does it do? Cook breakfast?"

"Just plays lullabies and rocks itself if we tell it to." Arianna shrugged and Sam lifted his hands in surrender.

"All right, you win in the crazy department, Ria." Sam joked and Arianna punched his arm affectionately.

Steve also smiled, but it dropped as he glanced around.

"Where's Wanda?" He asked and Natasha frowned.

"Yeah, she should have arrived by now." Nat murmured thoughtfully. "She's been growing tardier with each check-in, and now this? When we have an actual emergency?"

"'Tardy'? What are you, a school teacher?" Sam snorted while Arianna frowned.

"I'll scan for her - maybe she's been held up." The former agent suggested, moving over to the side of the quinjet while Steve gave Sam an admonishing look.

Arianna's fingers flew over the keyboards before her back straightened as her hands stilled.

"What is it?" Steve asked, straightening himself instantly. Natasha and Sam also watched the brunette woman's back, all traces of joking gone as Arianna hit the button to seal the quinjet once more.

"Wanda's in Scotland." Arianna answered in a quick, quiet voice that said volumes more than if she had sounded panicked - SHIELD agents rarely truly panicked.

"And she's not alone."

"Vision?" Natasha asked at once but Arianna glanced over with a grim expression in her hazel eyes.

"No official reading if it's Vision that's with Wanda, but I'd bet he's who she's protecting."

The team's expressions were already grim, prepared. Natasha moved to the pilot seat as Arianna finished.

"They're not alone."

* * *

 _Edinburgh, Scotland_

Wanda Maximoff flew herself and Vision away, desperately trying to escape their mysterious attackers.

But the female (at least, Wanda thought it was one female and one male but who knew with aliens?) had already recovered from their earlier fight and she raised her weapon. A bolt of energy blasted out, hitting Wanda and causing her to lose temporary control. Together, she and Vision went spiralling before crashing down and through the roof of a nearby train station.

They rolled on the floor, collapsing in a heap at last at the bottom where Vision - already severely injured - remained still and unable to move. Wanda forced herself to her knees beside her boyfriend, and she tried to get him up.

"Come on. Come on." Wanda pleaded. "Come on, you gotta get up. You gotta get up. Come on. Hey. Hey. We have to go."

Vision tried, he did, but he knew he wouldn't be able to make it. There was no escaping in his condition.

"Please." He begged, his blue eyes riveted on the woman he dearly loved despite all circumstances. "Please leave."

Wanda's face was conflicted for one second before it smoothed.

"You asked me to stay…" She replied softly, caressing the android she had fallen in love with. "I'm staying."

Vision shook his head weakly, gasping, "Please."

Wanda ignored him as she tried to help him up, urging, "Get up."

"I can't." Vision admitted, and that was when their attackers caught up with them once more.

Vision's eyes widened in fear, but not for himself, as Wanda stood and moved to be between him and their oncoming attackers. _No_ , he begged God, Buddha, whomever. These aliens, these threats, were here for him - for the mind stone imbedded in _his_ forehead. If Wanda was hurt because of him…

A train passed by behind Wanda as the group stood in a face-off, and they all stilled as they suddenly felt the distinct presence of another being in the vicinity. As the last train car passed through the station, they saw the dark figure silhouetted in the shadows of the far wall.

Instantly, the female threw her spear - but with inhuman reflexes, the figure (distinctly male and tall) twisted. At the same time, the figure caught the spear that had almost impaled him before he stepped out from the shadows.

And Wanda couldn't help the smile of relief as she found herself staring into the serious blue eyes of Captain America.


	3. First Contact

_And Wanda couldn't help the smile of relief as she found herself staring into the serious blue eyes of Captain America._

A movement made the two aliens and Wanda all look up but not even Vision's agile attackers had time to respond before Falcon had swooped down.

He'd snuck up on them swiftly and silently, and Proxima Midnight was unprepared as he kicked her away from his friends.

The alien went crashing toward the ground just as another figure sprang out and ran toward the falling female. Proxima Midnight had barely any response time before Aria was there, her knives slicing at Proxima's legs and the alien hissed in pain as she was unable to fully dodge the attack and Arianna's knife cut a thin line along her left leg.

Meanwhile, Steve had thrown Proxima's weapon back across the train tracks, and Corvus Glaive had no time to respond when Black Widow charged him with Proxima's weapon caught expertly in her hands.

His focus had been diverted by Proxima's hiss of pain, and he'd been expecting Steve to come at him - Natasha's presence took him by surprise and his underestimation of the Avengers cost him. Corvus howled as Proxima's spear gutted him right in the middle, the spear going right through all his organs and exiting through his back. Natasha quickly whirled around to give him a roundhouse kick as she pulled the spear from the alien's stomach.

At the same time, Proxima had recovered and lashed out toward Arianna, the pair fighting with Arianna's knives slicing, quick and deadly, at the alien. Proxima dodged the attacks before she called her spear back, just after Natasha kicked Corvus away. Anger coursed through Proxima's veins when she saw Corvus fall to the ground, anger that she used to propel forward as she charged Arianna.

But the ex-SHIELD was quick and dodged away from the feral attack; Proxima turned, intending to lop off Arianna's head. But Steve was there, Corvus's fallen weapon in his hand from where Natasha - as soon as she saw Steve running to help Arianna - had thrown the double-sided staff-like spear. He used the length of the staff to block Proxima's tri-shaped spear, his enhanced strength keeping her at bay before he suddenly jerked up, knocking her spear aside and opening her wide for one split second.

Arianna dodged around his body at the same time Steve moved, the couple flowing seamlessly as one well-oiled machine after years of practice. And Proxima shrieked in fury and pain as Arianna's knife imbedded itself in her left side.

Before she could react, Sam was back and he kicked her viciously back. Proxima went flying once more, landing in a heap near Corvus once more.

She raised herself into a crouch almost immediately, breathing heavily. But one of Natasha's long swords, now unsheathed from the twin holsters on her back, appeared in her face at the same time that two guns clicked audibly.

Proxima froze; the battle had been finished in all of thirty seconds. It wasn't possible in her mind, it had been so long since she'd been beaten let alone so quickly - and yet, it had happened.

Raising her gaze, Proxima glared viciously as she found herself and Corvus surrounded by Black Widow, Captain America, Aria, and Falcon where Sam had swept into a smooth landing beside his teammates and now had twin pistols pointed firmly at her and Corvus. Steve held Corvus's spear loosely in one hand while Arianna held her dual knives at her sides.

One of Arianna's knives was slick with the Proxima's blood, and Proxima's lips curled back, incensed at the insult. But she knew there was no way she could take all the Avengers on by herself and she hissed at her partner, "Get up."

In a strangely twisted echo of Wanda and Vision just moment's earlier, Corvus responded grimly, "I can't."

Proxima glowered, her gaze darkening, when Natasha spoke up.

"We don't wanna kill you."

The former redhead tightened her grasp on her sword, and she leveled it slightly closer to Proxima's face warningly.

"But we will."

Proxima's glare intensified at the threat but even she knew when she was beaten. And with a gravely injured Corvus beside her, she knew the chances of her making it out alive were slim let alone any chance at stealing the Mind Stone. That left her with only one choice.

"You'll never get the chance again." Proxima hissed back at the group in general before she hit a band she wore on her wrist.

Instantly, the two aliens disappeared as they beamed themselves away to wherever their spaceship was likely hidden somewhere high above. At once, Corvus's spear flew out of Steve's hand and into the beam, following its master, and the Avengers watched in tense silence as the beam disappeared as quickly as it had come.

The Avengers on the ground waited, motionless, and Arianna faintly but distinctly heard the whirring of alien engines from somewhere in the clouds. The whirring quickly disappeared, growing fainter until even Steve's enhanced hearing could no longer hear it.

His posture, stiff and alert until then, relaxed and his remaining teammates followed suit.

Now that they were sure they were safer, Sam and Steve moved toward Vision as Arianna wiped her knife in distaste on a spare bit of cloth while Nat checked Wanda over briefly. Sam held out his hand to his former teammate.

"Can you stand?" Sam asked.

Vision grimaced in response, telling Sam what he needed to know. Sam bent down and helped Vision up, carrying most of the Android's weight as Vision remained unsteady while he clutched his bleeding side. Steve watched, and Vision caught the man's eye.

"Thank you, Captain." Vision said softly and Steve just nodded.

"Let's get you on the jet." Steve suggested calmly.

Vision nodded wearily, though his gratitude showed in his eyes at Steve's apparent willingness to let bygones be bygones. His eyes landed on Arianna as the brunette woman walked up beside her husband just as Sam started to help Vision walk forward.

Arianna placed one hand on her hip as she watched Vision, her expression closed. Vision swallowed nervously.

"You've kept in good shape even after the baby, Arianna." Vision offered, wincing slightly as Sam jostled him unintentionally as they all moved back to where the quinjet was stashed. "Although I suppose you did have over a year since we last saw each other."

"Yeah, old habits die hard and I didn't really have much else to do while on the run." Arianna replied dryly as she turned and walked with Steve to the quinjet. "Guess it turned out it was a good thing for you that I maintained my training although I question whether you were as diligent after what we saw tonight."

Vision grimaced again though this time it had nothing to do with the pain in his side. Apparently not everyone was willing to let bygones be bygones. Though he had a feeling Arianna's sourness was most likely due to the fact that he had almost dropped a tower on her husband during that terrible airport fight. It didn't seem like something she was likely to forget in a hurry and he didn't blame her.

Another angry figure was apparently Natasha, given the ex-assassin's dangerous silence and the way her lips were thinned.

But her anger was apparently not directed at him as, once they were all safely boarded inside the quinjet, Natasha whirled on Wanda.

"I thought we had a deal." The older woman's voice was cold as she scolded the darker-haired young woman sternly. "Stay close, check in. Don't take any chances."

"I'm sorry."

Wanda's voice was subdued voice from her place beside Vision as Steve helped Sam lay Vision down gently on the long table in the centre of the quinjet - where Clint had once lain after the first mishap in Sokovia, during the first encounter they had had with the Maximoff twins.

"We just wanted time..."

"It was still dangerously reckless, Wanda." Arianna agreed with Natasha, sighing as she observed Vision where he was trying not to show his pain. "I swear you two will be the death of me."

Wanda hung her head while Vision glanced over apologetically as Arianna moved to grab medical supplies. It seemed that, despite her annoyance and disappointment in him and Wanda, Arianna was going to forgive them after all. He tried to convey through his eyes how grateful he was.

Arianna patted his shoulder with a motherly affection that was oddly calming and chiding at the same time; apparently, she had the whole scold and soothe routine down already.

"You'll make a wonderful mother, Arianna." Vision said quietly. "Your son is very lucky."

He nodded to the corner of the jet where he'd noticed the baby cradle, the design of which he'd seen in Tony's computer logs although it seemed that Arianna had made several changes and additions since her last talk with Tony. She gave him a wry look, probably knowing exactly what he was doing and what he was thinking about; but she gave him a small smile in the end.

Natasha meanwhile continued to give Wanda a stern look just to make the younger woman squirm. It was mostly to enforce the lesson on Wanda rather than any indication that Natasha was genuinely angry with her and Vision. It seemed Steve was also aware of this as he shook his head at Natasha, but he looked relieved that he wasn't going to have to discipline anybody now that the women had taken care of it. It wasn't a part of his job he enjoyed though as Captain he knew it was sometimes necessary. Not that he'd had to do so in well over a year.

"Where to, Cap?" Sam called from where he'd settled into the pilot seat and was now taking them off smoothly.

Steve glanced at Arianna, who had just finished wrapping up Vision's side. Hazel met baby-blue before Steve answered Sam in a voice filled with a mix of longing and determination.

"Home."

* * *

 _Avengers Compound_

Rhodey sighed mentally as he stood across from where the holographic image of Secretary Ross was grilling him yet again.

"Still no word from Vision?" Ross asked for the third time that day, and Rhodey fought the migraine that threatened to overwhelm him.

Still he kept his voice even and patient as he answered, "Satellites lost him somewhere over Edinburgh."

"On a stolen quinjet with five of the world's most wanted criminals." Ross pointed out nastily and Rhodey finally had enough.

"You know they're only criminals because you've chosen to call them that, right, sir?" Rhodey shot back, his arms folded across his chest and Ross raised a brow.

"My God, Rhodes, your talent for horseshit rivals my own." The Secretary of State commented.

But Rhodey had had more than enough. He'd had enough long before Vision's 'disappearance' the night before, hell he'd had far more than enough even before Tony's disappearance and Bruce's urgent call.

It was with that pent irritation that Rhodey snapped, "If it weren't for those Accords, Vision would've been right here."

"I remember your signature on those papers, Colonel." Ross reminded in a warning tone but Rhodey scoffed.

"That's right. And I'm pretty sure I've paid for that."

Rhodey gestured vaguely to his legs, only mobile thanks to help from Tony's mechanics, and it was Ross's turn to scoff.

"You have second thoughts?" Ross challenged but movement in the doorway distracted Rhodey.

Recognizing the expected visitors, Rhodey smiled and he looked back at Ross.

"Not anymore."

Ross barely heard the colonel as his eyes fell on first Steve Rogers, standing point in the group strolled into the base they had left over a year ago. The Secretary's eyes then flickered briefly over Natasha and Wanda on the side, Arianna beside her husband and carrying what looked like a cross between a missile body and a cradle, and then Sam and Vision before coming back to Steve as the Captain greeted politely.

"Mr. Secretary."

"You got some nerve." Ross sniffed, staring at the group. "I'll give you that."

"You could use some of that right now." Natasha returned as they gathered around Rhodey, who smiled warmly at his friends.

"The world's on fire." Ross said incredulously. "And you think, all is forgiven?"

Arianna scoffed while Steve replied firmly, "I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking for permission. Earth just lost her best defender and we've just lost our friend."

He nodded at himself and Arianna, before gesturing briefly at their team as he added, "So we're here to fight. And if you wanna stand in our way… We'll fight you, too."

Arianna smirked as Ross foamed at the mouth, the Secretary's eyes going to Rhodey as he ordered, "Arrest them."

"All over it." Rhodey promised before shutting off the hologram.

"That's a court-martial." He muttered while Arianna wrapped her arm around Steve's waist.

"I have told you that you're really sexy when you give out ultimatums like that, right?" She asked and Steve's lips twitched up into a grin.

"And you're both still as disgustingly in love as usual." Rhodey commented dryly and Arianna stuck out her tongue at him. "Very mature Ria - aren't you a mother now?"

"Don't make it sound like that's dull." Arianna answered though she gave Rhodey a warm hug.

He hugged her back before reaching out a hand to Steve.

"It's great to see you, Cap." Rhodey admitted honestly and Steve smiled.

"You too, Rhodey." Steve answered as he shook Rhodey's hand while the colonel looked them over.

"Well. You guys really look like crap." He said lightly. "Must've been a rough couple of years."

"Yeah, well, the hotels weren't exactly five star." Sam quipped back cheekily.

"Uh, I think you look great."

They all turned at the new voice, and Bruce noted the looks of surprise that flitted across several faces while Arianna and Steve remained silent.

"Yeah. I'm back." Bruce explained to the ones who looked surprised.

Sam, Wanda and Vision glanced at Steve and Arianna, who kept innocent expressions on their faces that spelt their guilt at withholding the information from the team. But Natasha had her green gaze fixed solely on Bruce as she piped up, "Hi, Bruce."

"Nat." Bruce answered, fidgeting.

Natasha seemed a little disappointed when Bruce didn't say anything else, and Arianna and Steve exchanged glances.

"This is awkward." Sam piped up, making them all smile and relax just a little.

Arianna shifted the cradle in her arms, setting it down and Bruce started when he saw the baby inside - a baby with blond hair and hazel eyes that there was no mistaking.

"You…" Bruce appeared to be struggling to find something to say, he was gaping at Jim too much. "You two, uh…"

Steve chuckled while Arianna grinned.

"You missed our wedding, Bruce." She chided lightly, her former anger at the man softened by the guilt and awkwardness around him that told her that Bruce indeed had not known about anything that had happened since the Hulk's departure. Bruce blinked.

"Yeah, uh, sorry… uh, he's cute." The scientist said lamely.

They all laughed, the tension alleviating and all happy to be together once more.


	4. Home is where the Heart is

" _Yeah, uh, sorry… uh, he's cute." The scientist said lamely._

 _They all laughed, the tension alleviating and all happy to be together once more._

"He certainly is." Rhodey agreed as he leant down to peer at the baby whose birth he had not been able to bear witness to. "Hey there, little man."

Jim stared back, unimpressed by this new face before him and he said something that sounded mostly like 'Da-ga-ga-ga-ga'.

"What?" Rhodey asked and Arianna chuckled.

"I think he doesn't approve of you calling him little." Natasha piped up with a grin.

"He doesn't really like strangers." Steve explained and Rhodey nodded.

"He looks just like you two." The colonel commented as he straightened up, looking at the couple who were looking down at their son fondly. "How'd Clint take the news?"

"He was a proud old uncle." Arianna smiled as she picked up her son from his cradle. "It's probably a good thing he's been under house arrest since we blew him out of pirson - it's just a phrase Bruce, we didn't actually blow the place up - otherwise I get the feeling he would spoil Jim. And we get that enough from Sam."

"That is _not_ just a phrase, Ria." Nat commented dryly.

"It became one after Budapest." Steve commented casually and Nat whirled on him in shock before her green eyes flew to Arianna.

"You told him about Budapest? We swore we would never speak of it again!" Nat exclaimed and Arianna had the decency to look sheepish.

"I didn't want secrets from my husband?" She offered weakly and Nat's eyes narrowed while Sam complained, "Wait, _you_ know about Budapest? I've been trying to get one of them to tell me but they've never cracked."

"Ria was emotional after having Jim?" Steve offered with a light smile and Rhodey chuckled.

"Ria emotional after giving birth. Who'd have ever thought I'd live to see it." He mused before his eyes fell on Jim once more.

Arianna caught the hint of guilt and sorrow in his gaze and she said firmly, "We all made mistakes that day."

"Tony and I made the worst ones." Rhodey answered quietly. "And it cost us this."

He sighed as he looked down at Jim.

"I should've been there too. And for that, I'm sorry." Rhodey shook his head, before a light teasing smile appeared on his face. "I should've been there to keep the little tyke away from Sam's bad influence."

Arianna laughed while Sam protested, affronted, "Who you calling a bad influence? Don't listen to the boring old man, Jimmy."

Sam bent down before Jim, crouching slightly to be level with the baby in Arianna's arms.

"Uncle Sam's the bomb, ain't that right? Yes it is, oh, yes it is."

"I'm not kidding when I say he spoils Jim - in case you hadn't managed to work that out yet." Arianna explained to the amused Rhodey and Bruce.

"Yeah, I would never have guessed." Rhodey smiled.

Bruce nodded, and he appeared to be about to say something when his eyes met Natasha's. The former spy's green eyes had been soft as she gazed fondly at Jim, a faint hint of the longing that would always appear when she gazed at her honorary nephews and niece. But when she looked away to lock eyes with Bruce, the softness faded. In its place was a wariness and a tentative question - a question that had Bruce lowering his gaze in shame as guilt swelled once more.

Disappointment flickered across Natasha's face once more before she turned away as Steve spoke up with his voice of reason.

"So, now that we're all here - we should sit down and figure out exactly what we're facing." Steve glanced at Bruce. "I'd assume you would also know more about the two aliens we fought in Edinburgh?"

Bruce nodded and the group relocated to the kitchen area. He filled them in briefly on how he'd ended up back on Earth, the fight in New York, and how Tony had been caught while Bruce was left behind but Bruce saved the details for when they were all settled and ready to listen properly.

Sitting in the seats felt strange and Arianna recalled the last time they had all gathered in the same room. The same seats. It was where the first argument over the Accords had begun, and it was the last time they had all been gathered together as teammates. With a jolt, Arianna realized it was the last time Steve had even been in the America had long protected and fought for.

She glanced at Steve, seeing the way he stared at the coffee machine that Tony had been standing in front of the last time they had been in this room. Catching her eye, Steve gave her a sad smile and Arianna sighed. Steve was thinking about the same too.

They shook off their melancholy as Bruce entered, taking Tony's place in the picture, and Steve started off the business talk.

"So - what happened while you were gone, what took Tony, and what is it exactly we're defending the Earth from."

Bruce sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly before he began.

"Where I was is a whole different story and not what you need right now. Let's just say, it wasn't Earth and I wasn't… me."

The group exchanged looks, Arianna in particular surprised to hear that, if he was telling the truth, Bruce had been Hulk for almost three years.

"Thor ended up rescuing me," Bruce went on quickly, clearly wanting to get his awkward past out of the way. "And we ended up saving his people but his planet was destroyed."

"Asgard?" Arianna checked and Bruce nodded.

"Yeah… it was horrible." Bruce said in a low voice. "But there was hope, and Thor - new king, again long story."

Sam closed his mouth and Bruce continued, "They had lost their home planet but they had hoped to find somewhere new, somewhere safe. We all thought we were safe."

Bruce let out a heavy sigh.

"Then _he_ came."

"Who?" Natasha asked and Bruce looked up grimly.

"Thanos."

It was strange how the name - unknown and foreign to her - could make an icy feeling of dread crawl down Arianna's back.

"And who is… Thanos?" Steve asked slowly and Bruce sighed again.

"He's some giant, _powerful_ alien - maybe even a Titan." Bruce admitted in a low voice. "Worse, he's a plague. He was the one behind the attack on New York years ago, the one who was behind Loki's plan and sending the Chitauri."

Arianna inhaled sharply while Bruce continued.

"He takes what he wants, and what he wants is to wipe out half of the population throughout the universe."

Nat's green eyes narrowed at that while Bruce went on, "And he'll be able to it with one snap of his fingers if he gets his hands on all the Infinity Stones."

"Infinity Stones?" Arianna repeated while Steve recalled Thor mentioning the stones as he had left them after recovering from Sokovia.

Bruce nodded grimly.

"There are six of them, elemental crystals is how the-the magicians or whatever they are in New York described the Stones."

"Magicians?" Steve repeated, frowning, and Bruce waved his hands.

"I'll explain that part later, that's a whole different crazy."

Arianna and Steve exchanged looks while Bruce continued about Thanos, "The Stones each control an aspect of existence: Space, Reality, Power, Soul, Time, and Mind."

"Viz." Wanda murmured, glancing at the Stone in Vision's forehead.

Bruce nodded again.

"And he's coming here to get it?" Sam spoke up, and Bruce nodded.

"The two aliens you guys fought, they were there on the Asgardian ship when Thanos attacked. They were ruthless, killing people and preparing for Thanos's arrival. Last I saw him, he already had the Power and Space Stones. Just that alone makes him the strongest creature in the whole universe, if he gets his hands on all six-"

"It's the end." Steve muttered grimly. "And you said he came to New York?"

"No, not him - his followers. They came after the Time Stone, which was being safeguarded by one of the voodoo guys I met. They captured him, just as the guys you fought must have been trying to capture Vision. I don't know if the guy was alive or not when they got him."

"So he already has two Stones and probably about to get a third..." Sam began slowly.

"And you're telling me that Tony's out there somewhere in space, about to face this guy on his own?" Arianna asked, feeling sick to her stomach. "What about Thor?"

"Last I saw him, he was trapped onboard the spaceship with Loki and Thanos." Bruce answered helplessly. "But if Thanos's lackey's were attacking Earth..."

"They've likely already taken care of Thor." Steve's tone was grim.

Bruce nodded and Arianna's hands tightened into fists. Natasha leant back, also shaken at the news of their teammate's probable death while Rhodey and Sam exchanged grim looks.

"And now they're coming for Viz." Wanda spoke up, looking at her boyfriend worriedly.

The team exchanged looks, each weighing the situation, and Bruce looked around at them.

"Well, we gotta assume they're coming back, right? And they can clearly find us." He pointed out. "We need all hands on deck."

"It's just… not that easy." Arianna sighed and Bruce frowned.

"Why?" He asked, confused. "When you said Clint was under house arrest… you're not seriously saying he can't come out?"

The group grimaced and it was Natasha who explained briefly, "After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families."

"Who's Scott?" Bruce asked, confused.

"Ant-Man." Steve explained and Bruce asked flatly, "There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?"

Shaking his head, he pointed out firmly, "Okay, look… Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until he... He gets...Vision's stone."

He waved lamely at the android in question, who had been unusually quiet (even for him) throughout the whole discussion.

"Well then, we have to protect it." Natasha answered as if it were obvious and Arianna agreed.

"No."

They looked over in shock as Vision looked up at them, his blue gaze serious as he said heavily, "We have to destroy it."

He held up a hand to stop their protests and he continued seriously.

"I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also, its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something, very similar to its own signature," his eyes slid to Wanda and they all understood immediately what he was trying to say.

"Perhaps… Its molecular integrity could fail."

Wanda's gaze turned cold and she answered flatly, "And you, with it. We're not having this conversation."

Arianna and Steve exchanged long, pained looks even as Vision persisted in a low voice to Wanda, "Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it."

"That's too high a price." Wanda hissed back, her eyes brighter now thanks to a sheen of unshed tears as she stared up at Vision.

Vision grasped her head between his hands, and his gaze and tone were apologetic but imploring as he whispered, "Only you, have the power to pay it."

Wanda's brows furrowed for a second, revealing her pain before she turned and pulled away from Vision. Arianna watched Wanda walk to a corner of the room, her hands on her hips as she struggled to keep calm while Vision's shoulders drooped.

But the android's tone was firm when he turned to the group at large next and he said, "Thanos threatens half the Universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him."

"But it should."

Vision turned to stare at Steve, who looked the android right in the eye as he said in a final tone, "We don't trade lives, Vision."

Vision walked up to Steve and he challenged, "Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people. Tell me, why is this any different?"

"Because there may be a chance for you to make a different choice and still save the people we swore to protect." Arianna broke in.

Vision looked at her but Arianna was looking to her husband and she reached out to take Steve's hand.

Steve looked down at her and she stared up at him as she told Vision softly, "Love is a gift and life already too short. Don't be too eager to sacrifice that, Vision. And don't forget what it is you are asking of the people who would be left behind."

Vision's metal heart panged as he saw the love the two Avengers shared, shining in their eyes, and he shook his head.

"Yet you are both as quick to risk your lives to fight for what is right." Vision pointed out softly.

"We don't run right into suicide." Steve replied as he and Arianna turned to look at him once more.

Vision opened his mouth to protest again, when Bruce piped up.

"They're right, Vision. You shouldn't be so hasty because you may have a choice."

They looked at the scientist in a mix of surprise and expectancy and Bruce explained, "Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Jarvis, Ultron, Tony, me, the Stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another."

"You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?" Wanda asked, turning back to the group.

"I'm saying that if we take out the stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left." Bruce answered and he looked right at Vision.

"Perhaps the best parts." He said meaningfully.

Vision looked thoughtful and Natasha spoke up, "Can we do that?"

"Not me. Not here." Bruce shook his head, his tone faltering for the first time, and Rhodey pointed out, "You better find someone, and somewhere fast. Ross isn't exactly just gonna let you guys have your old rooms back."

"He really grows on you." Sam muttered dryly, but Arianna was looking at Steve again.

As soon as Bruce had suggested the science and mechanics behind saving Vision, she'd thought of only one place. Steve saw the idea in her eyes and he nodded.

"What are you to silently exchanging this time?" Natasha called, drawing all the attention on the couple.

Arianna looked at Steve, who looked at the group and he took a breath.

"I know somewhere."


	5. Wakanda

While Rhodey packed, Sam and Natasha scoured their old rooms. Wanda and Vision were holed up in Wanda's old room, working through the fight from earlier. Wanda remained upset with her boyfriend for even suggesting taking his life while Vision continued to try to persuade her that his idea was for the best should it come to that.

Arianna and Steve remained waiting in the lounge, staying beside Jim as he slept in his cradle once more. Arianna shook her head after Wanda and Vision.

"He's still got a lot to learn in the dealing with emotions department." She sighed. "Love, no, life really, can't be determined nor dictated by numbers - no matter what cold logic demands."

"Someone's sentimental." Steve smiled, drawing his wife close and bringing her back against his chest. "Fury would cry to hear his best agent say something like that."

"Phil would've been proud." Arianna shrugged although a small smile played on her lips as she relaxed just slightly in her husband's arms. "He'd be proud to see what I've achieved."

"Which is?" Steve asked and Arianna answered with a cheeky smile that made her look like the young woman Steve had first met and fallen in love with, "Marrying Captain America."

Steve chuckled, hugging his wife closer. They remained in comfortable silence for a moment, each falling into their own thoughts before Steve spoke again.

"You should probably take Jim and go somewhere safe - maybe turn yourself in and go stay with Laura and the kids." Steve murmured.

"I could go to Clint's farm." Arianna agreed calmly. "But I won't. I can't walk away from a war where people can get hurt, anymore than you can. That's what being an Avenger meant… what it still means."

"You could retire." Steve pointed out and Arianna's smile was sad when she responded.

"Clint's been saying that for years; as was Tony. Look where he is now." Her gaze became grim. "There's no walking away from a life like ours. We all started differently, but we all made the same commitment because that's who we are. There is no retirement for us until we physically aren't able to answer the call of duty, to save however many lives we can… unless we're forced into early and permanent retirement."

Her gaze was meaningful and Steve knew what she meant. Assassins or intelligence agents (former or otherwise) probably had the shortest average life of any occupation. In fact, when one thought about it in perspective, it was a miracle the Avengers had lasted as long as they had even if Steve liked to credit the team's skills for their long survival (aside from his prayers, as always, for poor Pietro). Their skills and their determination to survive if it meant one more person could be saved because of them.

Steve sighed at the thought, but he nodded in agreement with Arianna. They were both too noble to leave now… damn them. Arianna seemed to know what he was thinking because there was a faint spark of amusement in her eyes as she leant up and kissed his cheek.

They then looked over at the sound of footsteps and Arianna had to smile when she saw her friends returning, all of them carrying one pack each.

"Ready to go?" Steve asked, his gaze lingering on Vision for a moment.

The android lowered his head while Wanda gripped his hand and Natasha replied for Sam and Rhodey as well, "Ready as we'll ever be I'd say."

Bruce shuffled in agreement, and Steve nodded. Clasping his wife's hand in his, he grabbed their own pack and Jim's carrier before indicating for the team to follow him out.

"Then let's go."

* * *

Jim was fussing, awake with the rising sun and disliking the stuffy quinjet as he shuffled irritably. Arianna eventually took him into her arms, rocking the child while he whined and struggled to reach the floor impatiently.

"What's wrong with him?" Rhodey asked and Arianna explained, "He probably wants to take a walk."

"He's already walking?" Rhodey asked, his face falling as he realized just how much he'd missed.

"He's over eighteen months old." Arianna pointed out wryly while she wrestled her son in her arms as he kicked his legs impatiently. "He should be saying a few real-word sentences soon."

"Why, er, not just let him down to walk." Bruce asked as he watched Arianna's admittedly losing battle against her son. Armies of aliens and robots had been felled at her hands, but apparently one little blond boy was more than capable of putting up a fight against the ex-agent. It was an entertaining notion.

Arianna, meanwhile, grimaced in response to Bruce's question.

"The quinjet - with a curious little toddler who's still prone to tripping and falling over?" She pointed out dryly before scolding her son in exasperation, "Jim, stop it now. Stay _still_."

Jim wailed, his lips pouting in a way that was both adorable and exasperable while hazel eyes squinted as a tiny nose scrunched up in anticipation of a tantrum. Arianna's eyes narrowed dangerously - as much as she loved her son, she did not tolerate tantrums.

"I'll take him." Steve offered, noticing the signs immediately and reaching over to pick up his son easily. Jim went petulantly, still aggravated and wanting to move around.

"You're spoiling him." Arianna grumbled and Steve chuckled.

Jim squealed in delight when Steve suddenly dropped him down (still safe in his arms) before lifting him up like a ride and spinning the boy in the air.

"Careful his head doesn't hit the ceiling." Wanda said anxiously and Natasha chuckled at the young woman's concern.

"Steve knows what he's doing." Arianna answered as she leant back tiredly, although her eyes remained trained on her son. The faint worry lines didn't quite fade despite her easy words, but a smile did work its way up her face as she watched Steve play and Jim's tinkling little laugh filled the quinjet.

"I still can't quite believe you're a dad, Steve." Bruce shook his head although he was also smiling as he watched with a little envy as the toddler in Steve's arms giggled happily. "It seems so surreal. Captain America-"

"-Daddy of the year." Sam called jokingly from where he was piloting the jet. "By day, a crime-fighting, world-saving hero and by night, diaper-daddy!"

"You're just saying that because you got peed on." Arianna smiled, relaxing further and rubbing her arm where she'd been holding her son.

Rhodey laughed. Bruce's smile widened, as did Natasha's though when their eyes met they awkwardly avoided each other again. Wanda and Vision were in their own world again, staring at each other as if conversing silently - which, when Arianna thought about it, they could easily be doing. Steve was laughing too as he made Jim squeal again, while Sam watched out of the corner of his eye as he flew them onward.

Eventually, Steve returned Jim to Arianna's arms. Jim - much happier after his exciting playtime with his father - was much more content as he sucked on a knuckle while cuddling into his mother's arms. She smiled down at him, brushing down wild blond locks that were identical to his father's when Sam called back at the group.

"We're coming up."

Arianna looked up while Steve walked over to join Sam at the front, entering Captain mode almost immediately. Peering out at the approaching forest, he ordered Sam, "Drop to 2600, heading 0-3-0."

The ex-paramedic glanced back at Steve as he added, "I hope you're right about this, Cap. Or we're gonna land a lot faster than you want to."

Steve was confident however, and he waited as Sam flew them right into the trees… and right through the hologram barrier to Wakanda. The air shimmered as they passed through the forcefield, having obtained permission in the fly-over from America, and the illusion dropped; and Bruce couldn't stop his low gasp while Rhodey whistled appreciatively.

"I know you said it wasn't going to be anything like we could imagine." The Colonel said. "But this is _definitely_ not what I would have imagined. I mean, I know the King came out recently to open Wakanda's borders to the public but… _damn._ "

Arianna smiled, relating well with Rhodey's shock. The first time that she and Steve - along with a severely injured Bucky - had arrived in Wakanda at T'Challa's invitation, she had similarly gawked. She knew from studies of world countries that all SHIELD agents were subject to that Wakanda was the origin of the vibranium metal that made up Steve's shield. However, reports had said that the African country was like any of its other neighbouring third-world countries: poor, underdeveloped in terms of technological advancements, made up of primarily farmers, and reliant on trade to stay afloat.

The reports could not have been more wrong.

While there was definitely a lot of farming too, helping the country to insource and sustain its population, the city was far more advanced than any modern city Arianna had seen. Rounded, stone buildings and mud-huts could be seen dotted around on the far outskirts of the country but for the most part the city was made of tall skyscrapers that were far superior to most other countries'. African elements like the weave pattern and brightly-coloured tapestry art were a motif, further highlighting the city's uniqueness. And of course, there was the giant black panther statue that stood on the mountain above the city, overlooking and protecting Wakanda.

Sam led the quinjet to the landing pad that had been cleared and prepared for them, and Arianna's smile widened when she the familiar, tall figure dressed in a black African tunic waiting for them as they landed, flanked as usual by his impressive guard.

Steve had a similar smile on his face as he led the way to the ramp just as Sam lowered it now that they had safely landed. Arianna and Natasha were on Steve's two sides, flanking him as they made their way down toward T'Challa and his guards.

However, Arianna fought a smile when she heard Bruce ask Rhodey anxiously from behind her, "Should we bow?"

"Yeah, he's a king." Rhodey answered without missing a beat and sounding so casual as if stating the obvious.

Arianna bit back a laugh as she, Steve and Natasha reached T'Challa. She sensed similar amusement from Natasha but Steve was strictly business as he said to T'Challa warmly, "Seems like I'm always thanking you for something."

T'Challa smiled back and he shook Steve's hand before he nodded at Arianna.

"Congratulations once again, Mrs. Rogers. You should be proud." He said in his rich and warm tone, his gaze dropping briefly to the baby boy in her arms. Arianna beamed.

A cough from behind had Arianna glancing back and she fought the snort that threatened to escape as she saw Bruce had bowed only for Rhodey to look at him and ask incredulously, "What are you doing?"

T'Challa had also noticed by then and he waved a hand at Bruce as he said kindly, "Uh, we don't do that here."

Now Arianna was certain Steve was as amused as she was; his shoulders had tightened just slightly the way it did when he was trying his hardest not to laugh.

But they became much more serious as T'Challa turned back to them, a worried glint appearing in kind, dark eyes, "So how big of an assault can we expect?"

His guard moved as he spoke, opening up a path that T'Challa took, leading them away. The group followed quickly while Bruce piped up as he explained, "Uh, sir, I think you can expect quite a big assault."

"How we looking?" Natasha added, addressing the king with a similarly concerned frown on her face.

"You will have my King's Guard," T'Challa listed. "The Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and-"

He gestured to the side just as a familiar, dark-clothed man stepped out of the building to greet them by the door.

"A semi-stable, 100-year-old man." Bucky grinned as he spoke while Steve's face lit up instantly.

Arianna's own eyes quickly scanned said man and she was pleased with what she found: while his hair had grown longer in his exiled rehabilitation and his beard seemed a bit scruffy, Bucky had never looked better that she could remember. His entire face seemed relaxed and even content, a strange expression on the face she had known first and foremost as the Winter Soldier and then as a scared ex-soldier. His stance was casual although alert at the news of the approaching danger, news that she was certain was the reason for the black, metal left arm he now sported.

As Steve and Bucky shook hands and exchanged low greetings, the agent in her couldn't stop from examining the arm closely. The metal was sleeker than it had been, smoother and more natural. She assumed it was made of vibranium, though it looked initially weaker than his old arm purely because of how light and unembellished it looked. Only a few gold accent lines gave the arm away as unnatural - aside from the midnight-black colour - but they somehow added to the arm as it gave the shape some visible lines for the eye to follow, similarly to how a regular human arm had muscle lines and faint but still visible vein lines. It was as good, if not better, than something Tony could have come up, Arianna reflected with equal parts sorrow and admiration.

"Bucky, there's also someone you should meet." Steve was saying and Arianna knew that was her cue.

She stepped up and Bucky started to turn naturally to greet her, a smile already on his face, when Steve added, "Buck, meet your godson."

Bucky blinked before his eyes bugged a little as his eyes dropped to the child Arianna carried on her hip. But his surprise morphed quickly into a fond smile as he gazed down at Jim and gave the child a timid half-wave. They all laughed when Jim sneezed in response.

"He looks just like you did as a kid." Bucky commented, glancing at Steve.

"A bit - he's got Ria's eyes though." Steve answered with a nod.

"Of course." Bucky smiled as Jim stared back at him with clear hazel eyes.

The baby seemed to be examining Bucky, as though unsure what to think. Even to the toddler, it was clear this man was somehow important but as the child that he was, he wasn't clear on why nor was he really interested. Arianna nudged her son.

"Aren't you going to say hi to your uncle Bucky, Jim?" Arianna asked and Jim grumbled before hiding his face into her hair.

"I thought you said he was going to be called Philip?" Bucky said, confused.

"Philip James Rogers." Arianna explained.

Steve smiled at the funny jerk Bucky did at that while his eyes flew to Steve briefly and then back at Arianna. She seemed just as amused as her husband.

"I did say we would name him after you as well." She reminded and Bucky shrugged.

"Thought it could just have been a good dream." He admitted as he looked back at little Jim. "So why 'Jim'?"

"Arianna felt it was more appropriate." Steve explained. "She didn't really feel comfortable calling our son 'Phil' but Philip became a mouthful when we were calling him; and James was a little strange since you never really liked James. Jim was the happy compromise."

"James isn't so bad now." James answered with a shrug as his eyes remained glued, as if fascinated, on Jim. "But yeah, Jim does suit him better."

"Hear that, Jim?" Arianna coaxed her son. "He said he liked your name. Don't you want to say thank you to your uncle Bucky?"

Jim peered at Bucky, who swallowed visibly. Jim then gurgled at Bucky, his words not really making sense but Bucky still smiled.

"You're welcome." Bucky replied to the toddler.

"I think he was actually saying he thinks the name stinks and he should have been called Samuel Jr." Sam chimed in.

That made Bucky snort while the rest of the group laughed and T'Challa shook his head in amusement at the whole affair.

* * *

The air was much more serious as they gathered in the king's private labs, which apparently belonged to his younger sister. Princess Shuri was a tall, proud-looking girl with a cheeky smile and plucky attitude that strangely created quite a complementing balance with T'Challa's own serene one.

She was also incredibly clever, as she apparently ran all of Wakanda's scientific operations. This was made especially clear when she ran a scan over Vision's mind stone and she pulled up a hologram image of the scan.

"Whoa." Shuri blinked as she stared at the intricate workings and attachments between the Mind Stone and Vision's… for lack of a better word, brain. "The structure is polymorphic."

"Right, we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially." Bruce nodded and Shuri glanced at him with a raised brow.

"Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?" She asked.

Arianna looked between the two, the old and established scientist against the young and genius one, while Bruce stared at Shuri in stunned silence for a moment. Arianna briefly wondered if this was how Tony or Bruce's own teachers must have once looked and felt when they had been faced by the child genii the two scientists had been in their own rights back in the day.

"Because... we didn't think of it." Bruce admitted at last and more than a little sheepishly.

Shuri smiled.

"I'm sure you did your best." She answered with a playful smirk that had Arianna leaning to Natasha.

"I like her." Arianna whispered and Natasha grinned, giving a slight nod in agreement.

"She reminds me of you… but on science steroids." Natasha answered in an equally low voice.

T'Challa also smiled from beside them, apparently having heard them, until Wanda stepped forward.

"Can you do it?" She asked anxiously.

Her concern, almost tangible it was radiating off of her so strongly, sobered the mood in the lab once more. Shuri's face became more serious as she replied grimly, "Yes, but there are more than two trillion neurons here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures."

Her gaze moved to her brother and her king as she admitted, "It will take time, brother."

"How long?" Steve asked, all business once again. Shuri shook her head.

"As long as you can give me." She answered honestly and worryingly.

A beep on General Okoye's beaded bracelet had them looking over as she glanced down to check what the alert was. Instantly, she looked at her king as she informed the group, "Something's entered the atmosphere."

At the same time, Sam's voice called over their comms, "Hey, Cap, we got a situation here."

Steve and Arianna exchanged looks before they quickly moved to the floor-length windows of the lab. In the distance, they could see the plains all around as far as the Wakandan border and a little further. A giant alien ship had descended from the sky as Sam had spoken, and they watched as it exploded high above the city as soon as it touched the shield, the strong microscopic laser defenses holding while the ship was destroyed .

While several of the new people like Bruce stared in awe at what they were seeing in the distance, Bucky muttered over the comms, "God, I love this place."

"Yeah, don't start celebrating yet, guys. We got more incoming outside the dome." Rhodey warned.

Seconds later, the group in the lab watched as ship upon ship came crashing down to the Earth like meteorites, just outside the Wakandan shields. They landed with what must have been quite the impact as they sent up dust and wind that dissipated as soon as it hit the Wakandan borders.

"It's too late." Vision whispered from his place behind them, his voice quiet but despairing.

Arianna turned to face the android, her expression grim and hazel eyes fiery with determination.

"It's never too late." She answered.

Vision shook his head as he urged, "We need to destroy the stone now."

"Vision, get your ass back on the table." Natasha replied without missing a beat.

Arianna nodded in approval of her sister's order, smiling a little at the language - oh, the old days made her want to cry and laugh - while T'Challa motioned to his guard.

"We will hold them off."

"Wanda," Steve spoke up, looking at the young woman in question where she remained standing close to her boyfriend.

"As soon as the stone's out of his head," Steve's blue-eyed gaze was like steel. "You blow it to hell."

Wanda's eyes, so uncertain until the alien invasion had begun, were now equally as steely as she looked at Steve. The red tinge that hinted at her powers floated around her faintly like a mist as she replied with promise in her voice, "I will."

T'Challa meanwhile had turned to his General and her women, ordering, "Evacuate the city. Engage all defense procedures."

The king of Wakanda then pointed at Steve as he added firmly, "And get this man a shield!"


	6. Love and War

The team split up as they readied quickly for the battle to come, T'Challa graciously opening up rooms, bathrooms and weapons rooms for the Avengers' use.

None of them really went for the latter, most deciding to stick to their existing weapons given they had no time to train with anything too new. But they all gratefully took advantage of the former two rooms as hastened to get ready. Steve was the only one who followed one of General Okoye's Dora Milaje warriors toward the weapons rooms in order to fetch the new shield T'Challa offered.

Arianna too was stopped from leaving the lab by, to her surprise, General Okoye. The General lifted out something from the corner of the lab, wrapped in a richly coloured and silken cloth, and she held it out to Arianna as the ex-assassin was about to follow her husband and friends out of the lab.

"What is this?" Arianna asked, surprised by the unexpected token.

"A gift from our King and the princess." Okoye explained as she held open the rich cloth for Arianna to see what she held inside. "King T'Challa asked Princess Shuri to prepare things after you and your husband last visited us, in case you ever needed our aid once more. It is with heavy but glad hearts that we offer them now."

Arianna's eyes widened as she took in the weapons sitting snugly in the unraveled cloth and her heart ached slightly as she ran her eyes along the delicate but lethal twin knives. They reminded her of Tony's creations and it broke her heart a little as she realized that this was the first war that the Avengers (what was left of them) would fight without any new Stark designs.

That said, the creations Shuri had crafted for her were of equal if not enhanced quality to the weapons that Arianna was used to receiving from Tony. The twin knives were almost wafer and she had no doubt from what she had seen of Wakandan technology during her last visit that the knives would be sharper than most weapons the world could invent, possibly enough to cut through nanotech. But as she carefully lifted one out of the cloth, Arianna marveled at how light they were and she knew that despite the difference from her existing knives, she would have no trouble wielding the short swords that Wakanda offered her.

Lifting her gaze from the invaluable gifts, Arianna nodded to Okoye and then bowed her head to T'Challa where the king stood watching the exchange.

"Thank you." Arianna whispered.

T'Challa nodded back in acceptance of her thanks, and he added in his deep, rich voice, "And do not worry about the safety of your son, Mrs. Captain Rogers. My mother will watch over him and no harm shall befall him. You have my word."

Arianna nodded, her throat closing with emotion. _I've grown soft in my age._

But it was more than that - falling in love, learning to trust others, building a family outside of blood, and becoming a mother had changed Arianna. Where the spy she had been would have coolly calculated the worth of the weapons she now lifted from Okoye's willing hands, Arianna instead saw now the meaning behind the gift and the offer to protect her son. It was not just their trust of him that was at play here - the king in turn was showing a deep trust in them, in her, that he would give her such weapons and take her son into his protection without question despite the dangers they had brought to his front doorstep.

T'Challa's kind smile told her he knew what she was feeling and once again, Arianna was struck by the wisdom in a man so young. _He is a fine king. He is a great man._

This thought stayed with her as Arianna straightened up in the royal guest suite some short time later, having strapped her gear on tightly. The gifts from the King of Wakanda were nestled in their holsters on her thighs and the vibranium seemed to hum against the fabric of her suit and somehow it aided in soothing her nerves. As did the dozen or so knives hidden in their sleeves all over her suit. The machine gun waiting for her alongside a pack filled with ammunition on the end of her bench helped too.

But it was the locket she held open in her hand, the locket Steve had gotten for her birthday what felt like a lifetime ago, that calmed her and cleared her head.

Great men were hard to come by, Arianna knew too well and she counted herself blessed for each man and woman she did know. Steve was naturally the one she was most grateful to have met, to have earned the love and respect of; but there were so many more whom she was proud to say she had fought alongside and earned the friendship of. Men and women that had made up the family she knew she would cherish no matter what happened this bleek day.

Her finger traced the picture snuggled inside the locket.

The pictures had changed again since she had first received the gift what felt like lifetimes ago: in the left holder was a photograph taken recently of little Jim, his happy smile making his baby fat crinkle adorably around the edges of his face as he laughed at the funny faces Steve had been making. And on the right, there was a picture of all the Avengers after they had moved into their new facility; after Sokovia but much before the Accords that had broken them up.

There was Arianna, Nat, and Wanda sitting on the bench in the middle, all of them managing smiles despite the still fresh losses they had faced in Sokovia. Clint was relaxed on the ground in front of Nat, having come back briefly from his farm for the photo Tony had insisted they take. Tony himself sat beside Arianna, his leg crossed and his arm thrown over her shoulder while he smirked up at the camera. Arianna's heart panged as she traced his familiar face with sad eyes, and she hoped yet again that, wherever he was, he was okay.

Behind Tony in the photograph stood Rhodey, without any disability, and he too smiled widely for the camera. Beside him and behind Arianna, stood Steve. His arms behind him as usual, Steve still had a wide smile on his face as he stood a little between his girlfriend - soon to be fiancee - and his somewhat grudging best friend. On Steve's other side stood his much friendlier friend and Sam stood with his cheeky smirk and slightly lifted chin. On the ground before Wanda sat Vision, the android looking a little awkward as he stared expressionlessly at the camera while sitting cross-legged in an almost meditative position. Beside the android, in front of Tony and Arianna, knelt Thor, his long hair pulled back and his lips spread wide in a slightly goofy grin while his Mjolnir was set down casually beside him.

It was the closest to a family portrait that they had (literally in many of their cases, especially for Vision given that his father was Stark and the at-the-time-missing Bruce), and each of them had received a copy. Steve's had been lost for a while since he'd framed it and hung it in his room at the Avengers facility; hopefully ( if they survived the coming war) he could get it back.

Tony's had been in his room in the Avengers Tower, enlarged and set-up across from his bed after Pepper had left him. Arianna wasn't sure what he'd done with the picture after their fight and subsequent fallout; although she _had_ been relieved to hear Tony and Pepper had worked through their differences since then and had apparently been planning to get married if the public announcement they had made only a few months earlier still held true. If only he would come back home now so they could work things out…

Vision had saved his copy in his mind, while Wanda carried hers in a square, silver locket that she usually kept tucked in her dress. Nat had a tiny copy that she carried in a hidden sleeve in her boot, easily accessed in case she needed to eat it or otherwise destroy it (old habits died hard). Rhodey and Sam kept their copies on their dressers from what Arianna knew, which meant Sam had also gone without his copy after they'd gone on the run. He would also get it back she supposed, if they made it back.

Clint kept his on his dresser beside a photo of his wife and kids, and the photo of him hugging Nat and Arianna from years ago. She had no idea what Thor had done with his copy and she hoped it hadn't been destroyed along with his planet; then again, she hoped _he_ wasn't dead somewhere although Bruce's tale didn't leave them with much hope. If he were gone...

Her hazel eyes rested sadly on the grinning blonde god. They had never even taken a picture with the even further extended team - Bruce was missing from the picture, then there was Bucky, Scott Lang, T'Challa of course...

Arianna sighed heavily as she touched the photograph again before closing her locket and holding it in her hand.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Arianna smiled a little as she turned to face the doorway where Steve leant against the metal, watching her.

"I think you already know." She answered as she crossed the room to join her husband by the door.

Steve's blue eyes were soft as he reached out to take her hands in his own, and Arianna noted the metal gauntlet-like guards he wore on his forearms. Steve saw her glance and he smiled.

"More compact than my old shield - and not as flashy." He offered lightly and Arianna smiled.

It was small and faded however as Arianna sighed. Steve's gaze was also infinitely sorrowful as he murmured, "It's going to be strange going in there without Tony's 'toys' as he liked to call our gear."

"He never liked to look like he took things seriously." Arianna agreed with another faint smile tugging on her lips though it did little to diminish the sadness and hint of fear she held in her eyes as she gazed up at her husband.

"It'll be strange not having his sarcastic comments in our ears while we fight." She murmured.

"I know." Steve kissed her cheek, before he sighed.

"If I had my way, you'd stay here and guard Vision." Steve muttered and Arianna arched a brow.

"You mean, stay out of the fight." She pointed out.

Steve shrugged a little, his brows furrowed and that worried, almost fearful expression returning as he gazed at Arianna with troubled eyes.

"This is the worst war we'll have faced to date, Ria." He murmured quietly. "And we're not getting any younger-"

"Speak for yourself, grandpa." Arianna muttered and he ignored her.

"And I know that although we've both kept training since having Jim, your body has changed."

His clear blue eyes challenged her to disagree as he looked down at her seriously.

"Ria, I'm just worried that you may not be ready for this." Steve said softly.

Arianna reached up to place her hands on the sides of Steve's face, and she met his gaze as she said seriously, "I wouldn't go out there and risk becoming a burden if I didn't think I was up to the task, Steve. I may be older and my body may be different after having had our son, but I have had the time to train and get used to the changes."

"It would still put my mind at ease if I knew you were safe." Steve sighed but Arianna's answer was grave as she looked up at him.

"United we stand. Divided, we fall."

Her gaze was unyielding as she forced Steve to maintain eye contact.

"We already learnt that the hard way." She reminded quietly. "I will stand with you and our family. I will help protect the Earth that we both love."

Steve's lips turned up into a sad smile and he murmured softly, "When I married you, I promised you happiness."

"And when I married you, I promised I will stand with you." She reminded him. "In sickness and in health; in the face of happiness and in the face of war."

Her face softened, mirroring his sadness as she went on quietly, "And let's be honest, we both knew we'd probably see another war. We just hoped that the fight after the Accords would be our last. But I think we both knew our lives will never be that simple."

Steve knew in his heart of hearts that she was right, just as Arianna knew why he was so worried. She was too - Steve was also not getting any younger, his mind weighed now with more responsibility than it had when he'd awoken fresh out of the ice with nothing but memories of his past life, and a heavy mind was a dangerous one before a war. But they could neither of them walk away - never could.

It was with this mutual understanding that Steve leant down at the same time that Arianna raised herself up, and they met halfway in a soft, lingering kiss that held their fears and hopes for the other's survival.

"Ria, promise me you'll be careful." Steve whispered as they broke apart. "For our son; for me."

"I promise." Ria answered. Knowing it was a promise that would probably mean nothing once the war began.

But both held onto the hope of seeing one another safe as they turned and walked out of the room, going to rejoin their team - their army.

* * *

Arianna, Steve, Natasha and Bucky stood with Okoye and several Wakandan warriors as their hovercraft flew low over the plains of Wakanda, speeding along with several other ships toward the barrier where an alien army was poised to attack. Sam and Rhodey flew high above and behind them, sweeping around in their flight as they too took tabs on the Wakandan army's size against the opponents they would soon be facing off against.

Aboard the hovercraft, Steve and Arianna held their hands loosely linked even as their gazes remained straight ahead, sweeping across the line of alien ships and quickly sizing up the situation.

Bucky stood stock-still beside them, his eyes roaming the same way as theirs while Natasha, having already gotten a good grasp of the situation, tilted her head slightly to glance back as she called into her comms, "How we looking, Bruce?"

"Yeah," Bruce's voice came back slightly muffled before he wriggled into a better position and his voice came across more clearly. "I think I'm getting the hang of it."

An enormous shadow passed over their craft before Bruce landed the Hulkbuster a few hundred meters in front of them, where he continued to run heavily across the plains.

"Wow!" Bruce marveled in their ear. "It's like being the Hulk without actually-"

Bruce's voice cut off as he tripped over a rock, falling forward and crashing into the ground on his face. Their craft passed by and Arianna saw the condescending look Okoye sent the fallen Hulkbuster; it amused her at the same time that Arianna unconsciously bristled at any disrespect shown toward her friends.

Amusement won out however, when Bruce clambered unsteadily to his feet, saying to himself or to them she wasn't sure, "I'm okay. I'm okay."

Arianna smiled a little - it was tiny and childish but she was glad Tony was still somehow represented in the giant armour Bruce wore.

The smile was wiped off her face almost instantly however when Rhodey called grimly, "I got two heat signatures breaking through the tree line."

He and Sam sped on ahead, joining T'Challa and his second-in-command W'Kabi where they stood already waiting with W'Kabi's army near the borders. As their craft arrived with the supporting army and Okoye's Dora Milaje, it tilted. And Arianna watched in admiration as the seasoned Wakandan warriors slid easily out of the hovercrafts, landing in a smooth run to join their fellow soldiers on the front lines behind their king.

The Avengers followed quickly behind, coming to stand beside T'Challa just as a heavy-set man and his army arrived chanting war cries.

T'Challa met the man, shaking the other tribal leader's hand warmly.

"Thank you for standing with us." T'Challa murmured to M'Baku.

Arianna heard M'Baku reply in Xhosa, but her attention was fixed on Steve as he lifted his chin and tilted his head to the side.

Natasha stepped forward at his signal, taking point on the left while T'Challa walked with Steve on his right as the trio started forward to meet the two dark figures that approached the Wakandan barrier. Even from the distance, Arianna recognized the smaller figure as the female they had fought with in Scotland; the other figure was new, a hulking mountain of muscle that reminded her of the Hulk if he were purple and covered in dark armour.

Arianna thinned her lips slightly as Steve, Natasha and T'Challa got closer to the barrier where Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian were already waiting for the standoff, before she forced a deep breath and relaxed her muscles.

"Worried, Ria?" Sam asked goodnaturedly from where he had landed just behind her and Bucky.

Bucky glanced over but Arianna smiled lightly in return.

"Worried? Are you kidding?" She returned in an airy tone that was fondly similar to Tony's, and she nodded to where Steve was still walking. "That hot ass right there is mine."

"Charming, Ria, charming." Sam rolled his eyes while Bucky looked faintly startled; it was always amusing to them how old-fashioned he still was especially now that Steve was far better settled into the twenty-first century. "And you call yourself a respectable mother."

"I _am_ a respectably mother but that doesn't change facts." Arianna pointed out with a shrug. "And the fact is, that man leading the charge over there?"

She nodded to where Steve had just reached the barrier that kept him - and them - safe… for now.

"That sexy man is my husband."

Sam chuckled while Bucky managed a smile as they waited on the front lines while Steve, Natasha and T'Challa "negotiated".

It wasn't long before Proxima Midnight lifted her sword into the air in a clear signal. Steve, Natasha and T'Challa returned swiftly to the others, the former coming to stand between his wife and best friend while Natasha took her place beside Arianna.

"Did they surrender?" Bucky murmured as Steve returned.

"Not exactly." Steve answered.

Arianna glanced at him before she looked forward once more to where four-legged alien creatures could just be seen pouring from the huge alien ships and hurtling between the shadows of the trees toward the Wakandan border.

And like that, on a clear and sunny day on the beautiful Wakandan plains, the war to protect the universe began.


	7. Dim Hope

"Yibambe!" T'Challa bellowed, and his men echoed the cry to hold fast, pounding their spears and swords and weapons into the ground and making it shake as they stood in unity against the oncoming threat.

A threat that proved to be all the more grotesque as the alien creatures came into full view. Looking like a terrible cross between a bear, a wolf and a metal alien from horror movies the creatures were all claws and snapping wide jaws that snarled and howled as the creatures came rushing out from the treeline.

Arianna rather felt that Bucky put it well when he breathed in disbelief, "What the hell?"

"Looks like we pissed her off." Natasha muttered in response.

But Arianna stared as the creatures launched themselves at the barrier, their skins burning and the Wakandan laser technology slicing off limbs as the aliens attempted to break through toward them.

"What are they doing?" Arianna asked, shocked.

"They're killing themselves." Okoye responded in an equally haunted, quiet voice.

That wasn't quite true - a few creatures managed to get through, using the break in the lasers caused by the death of a comrade to squeeze through even if they were sizzled and burnt in the process. The ones that got through howled a strange, screeching snarl before they charged and instantly the Wakandan soldiers at the front of the line lifted their colourfully woven capes.

The capes became shields made of the same blue laser technology that the barrier was made of while the second line of defense lifted their spears and readied themselves for the incoming attack.

Arianna tensed while Bucky lifted his machine gun as T'Challa called a command. Arianna didn't need to know Xhosa to know what he had said - the laser cannons on the spears fired at the same time Bucky too opened fire with his machine gun, each man hitting his target.

Bruce also began to fire the lasers built into the hands on the Hulkbuster, felling the first line of alien monsters just as Sam and Rhodey dove in from above. Sam barely dodged an alien monster that leapt into the air at him, before he fired three of his redwings to help him attack the aliens.

"You seen the teeth on those things?" Sam complained.

"Alright, back up, Sam." Rhodey called as he swooped in behind Sam. "You're gonna get your wings singed."

Rhodey let loose several mines from his armour, setting them off right at the breached section of the barrier and killing another mass of the creatures. Still, there seemed to be no end to the onslaught and Arianna caught movement along the sides of the explosions. She wasn't the only one.

Okoye tracked the monsters that were starting to circle around the barrier, seeking another way in, while Bruce pointed out worriedly, "Cap, if these things circle the perimeter and get in behind us, there's nothing between them and Vision."

"Then we better keep them in front of us." Steve murmured grimly.

"How do we do that?" Okoye asked her king in a low voice, and T'Challa glanced at his general with a grim expression of his own for he had understood Steve's intention.

"We open the barrier." He replied.

Okoye's jaw set in determination and she gripped her spear tighter as T'Challa said into his comm, "On my signal, open North-West Section Seventeen."

"Requesting confirmation, My King." A disbelieving voice responded. "You said open the barrier?"

"On my signal." T'Challa confirmed shortly.

"This will be the end of Wakanda." M'Baku muttered in a low voice.

Okoye didn't even look over as she replied without missing a beat, "Then it will be the noblest ending in history."

Steve clicked open the shields on his wrists, the vibranium sliding out into place to form oval shields over his forearms. Arianna lifted her machine gun, and she sighted down the barrel in the same swift motion as Bucky as T'Challa shouted a command in Xhosa.

The front line guards lowered their arms and the shields collapsed with the fabric they had held up. Steve and Arianna glanced to the side at the same time, their eyes meeting briefly.

'I love you.' They mouthed to each other before refocusing on the army ahead of them as T'Challa bellowed, "Wakanda Forever!"

The Wakandan army shouted their cry as they lifted their weapons and began to run at the same time that T'Challa crossed his arms over his chest to activate the Black Panther helmet. In a smooth movement, he and the Avengers led the charge as the Wakandan army followed behind them, all racing toward the barrier.

"NOW!" T'Challa cried as they reached the stream that ran just hundreds of meters away from the Wakandan border, from the barrier that protected them.

A small but sufficient section of the barrier opened, unleashing a stream of monsters on the Wakandan plains. With their superior enhancements, Steve and T'Challa pulled ahead of the rest of the group and they were the first two to leap across the stream and into the incoming army of Outriders.

The remaining Avengers and the Wakandan army were not far behind and soon the grassy earth was stained with alien and human blood as men and women killed and were killed.

Arianna grit her teeth as she fired her machine gun at the monsters that seemed to be coming from every direction.

Sensing movement behind her and feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand, she bent over backwards, swinging her upper body in a horizontal arc just as a clawed hand swiped where her head had been a second ago. Arianna fired at the creature that had tried to attack her from the back, killing it, before she threw a knife as she brought herself upright once more, killing yet another one of the foul beasts.

"Thanks!" Nat yelled, green eyes briefly meeting the younger agent's hazel ones, before both women became too absorbed in their own battles once more.

"How much longer, Shuri?" T'Challa's voice yelled through their comms.

"I've barely begun, brother." Shuri answered in a tight voice.

Arianna swallowed a groan as she fired another round of bullets at yet another creature that threatened to eat her. The creature fell in a bloody heap before her feet, a heap from which Arianna launched herself up into the air to fire down at another creature just as T'Challa said to his sister sarcastically, "You might want to pick up the pace."

Arianna briefly spotted Steve where he was pounding down on another Outrider, the pointed tips of his shield slicing the creature's neck until it's head was severed. The Captain didn't even stop to breathe as he launched himself at another monstrous creature, and Arianna had to look away as she gunned down another two creatures that had decided to come her way.

' _Please, Steve - stay safe!_ '

It was as this thought crossed her mind that she ran out of bullets on her machine gun. Just as another Outrider came charging right at her.

Arianna didn't even hesitate as she threw her gun at the creature, who just knocked it aside with its sightless head. But in that brief moment she had pulled one of her signature knives and the creature fell with a howl, Aria's knife imbedded in its neck. Arianna threw another two knives at two more creatures, hitting them in the weak spots on the necks as she launched herself forward, rolling to grab her knife from the neck of the first Outrider before throwing the knife again at yet another creature as she unhooked her pistol and fired it at another monster.

She continued in this whirlwind fashion, looking like a storm of death as she lived up to her name as one of SHIELD's best agents, the Aria of Strike Team Delta. Not far to the side, Natasha proved herself equally deadly, the Black Widow striking fast and hard and leaving behind only a trail of bodies behind her as she worked her way through the onslaught.

And on the other side of the battle, Bruce fired blast after blast at the creatures while Sam and Rhodey rained bullets, mines and missiles from the sky as they swept over the bloody fight going on below. Steve and T'Challa remained near the point of the battle, the two seasoned warriors doing their best to try and stem the flow of Outriders that poured through the small opening in the barrier toward their friends and families.

But the more she fought, the more Arianna despaired of surviving. The creatures were coming endlessly, and to her right and left she could see so many Wakandan warriors being mauled by the hideous monsters despite her best efforts to save any she could while staying alive herself. They all knew that the longer the war waged, the less advantage they would have - Thanos's guard had clearly brought an army that outnumbered their own and while the Avengers were used to terrible odds, this was one fight they could not hope to win if it was dragged on for much longer.

Arianna threw her last regular knife even as she shot down the creature coming to her left, and her heart sank as she heard the clink that told her she was on her last bullet. It was quickly spent as she shot down a creature that was in mid-leap, her bullet hitting true on the Outrider's lower neck, and the monster collapsed in a dead heap not far from where Bucky was struggling against yet another of the aliens.

He didn't have time to thank her, and Arianna didn't have the time to pause to see if he even saw her as another one of the aliens leapt toward her, snarling wildly.

Arianna swung her twin knives, courtesy of T'Challa and his people, and the electrified vibranium blades sliced through limb after limb, body after body as Aria whirled around like a miniature hurricane on the battlefield.

But still they kept coming, and Arianna found herself praying as she was almost beheaded for the thirteenth time -

' _Please, God, if you exist, don't let my son become an orphan this day.'_

But perhaps because of her low faith, perhaps because God truly didn't exist, or perhaps because even God couldn't stop what was happening to them, but Arianna saw the telltale signs of the beginning of their loss.

She spotted Bucky being knocked down, his machine gun sent flying away as it was hit out of his hand. She couldn't help him as she herself barely avoided a similar fate as another Outrider launched at her, her knife just coming up in time to protect her as she chopped off the grotesque creature's head. Bucky was stabbing wildly at his own attacker, barely keeping it from killing him, while Rhodey was pulled down as one Outrider finally managed to latch onto him. The instant the metal-clad man landed with a heavy thud in the earth, he was covered by aliens that tried to maul his armour apart to get at the man inside.

Not far away, T'Challa was being mauled in a similar fashion, several Outriders tearing at the Wakandan King and trying to break through the vibranium suit that was all that was keeping T'Challa alive now. Bruce was in the same predicament as no less than ten Outriders pulled the Hulkbuster down to the ground where they began attempting to tear at the metal suit. Sam barely avoided a similar fate, one that would have ended in a grisly demise for the barely-armoured Falcon while Natasha's wits were all that kept the Russian spy safe.

But Arianna's heart stopped when she saw Steve, at first backed against a boulder where he savagely fought to keep an Outrider from tearing into his neck, was knocked aside by another Outrider. He went flying across the plain, before tumbling across the ground where several Outriders pounced on him.

Two snapped at his legs, kept safe only by the vibranium woven suit he wore, but another launched itself at Steve's exposed face.

"STEVE!" Arianna screamed.

Her vibranium knife was imbedded in the Outrider's neck before she even registered having thrown the weapon. Steve looked up in horror as the monstrous alien collapsed, dead over his face and his blue eyes focused on the thin knife that had been thrown with a precision he would recognize anywhere.

"Ria!" Steve yelled in fear, panic like none other even as Outriders tried to tear at him gripped him.

He swung his shields wildly and desperately, trying to get free but unable to as he was mauled at by a pack of the Outriders, the dead alien on his face the only thing keeping him safe for the moment.

"RIA!" Steve yelled, his fear only increasing as he heard no response.

Arianna couldn't respond; her moment of throwing the knife to save Steve had cost her and Arianna found herself on her back as another Outrider succeeded where the others had failed. It knocked her one remaining knife out of her hand as it pounced her, and it had her pinned under it while it snarled and began to lower its jaws toward her.

Just when Arianna was certain she was going to be a goner, there was a flash from above and suddenly a stream of rainbow-coloured energy landed right in the middle of the battle.

Something flew threw the air, slicing through the creature pinning Arianna down and she stared in shock as pieces of flesh - all that remained of her attacker - landed on the ground around her while the thing that had saved her flew on. She sat up just in time to see the same weapon slicing apart the Outriders attacking Steve, leaving the Captain mostly unharmed aside from a few bruises while the sliced limbs of his attackers tumbled to the ground around him in a similar fashion as they had for Arianna.

Aria's eyes tracked the weapon and she realized it was an axe that was swinging in impossibly fast circles as it flew through the air in a manner that was unsettlingly familiar. The axe cut through all the Outriders in the near vicinity, saving the Avengers as Natasha saved Rhodey, before it flew back to the beam of rainbow light.

And Arianna's eyes widened and her lips pulled up into a smile as a hand caught the axe in the same way she had seen the same hand catch a flying hammer, just as the beam of light disappeared to reveal a familiar blond man - no, god.

"Thor." Arianna breathed.

For the first time since the tall figure had first regained his Godly powers in New Mexico, Arianna felt the chill that came with being in the presence of so much raw power as Thor Odinson stood straight and proud in the centre of the dissipating light. His hair was shaved short, which was odd - as was the fact that he was flanked by what appeared to be a machine-gun-wielding raccoon and a humanoid tree -, and something in his manner was much changed since they'd last seen the god, but the bolts of lightning that surrounded him meant there was no mistake as to who had just arrived.

Steve stood too, a similar smile on his face as he stared at the cavalry, while Bruce rose up now that he was free and the Hulkbuster helmet opened so that the scientist could cackle loudly and ecstatically, "Ha ha ha! You guys are so screwed now!"

Thor appeared not to hear him as he strode toward the still oncoming army of Outriders, his expression incensed, and he roared, "Bring me THANOS!"

The god charged at the Outriders, the racoon and tree following him, and Arianna's smile widened as Thor leapt into the air. The very air around him cackled and darkened as the god of thunder's eyes turned white and crackled with lightning energy moments before he slammed his axe into the ground. The whole area around him exploded with raw lightning energy and near one hundred Outriders were incinerated with the single blow.

' _It could happen._ ' Arianna realized as the Wakandans rallied once more, hope surging through all of them. ' _We could actually win this._ '

Little did she know, did any of them know, that, several planets and moons away, Tony was on the verge of losing an epic battle against the great titan himself. That her best friend was sitting, on his knees, in half a ruined suit of Iron Man armour with a terrible wound straight through his stomach unable to do anything but watch as Thanos settled the Time Stone in his glittering, gloved hand.


	8. Sacrifice

Arianna's hope hadn't diminished as the battle continued on the Wakandan plains.

The fighting was still brutal and bloody but there was _hope._ And even though Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian had joined the fray by this point, with Thor and the revitalized Avengers fighting tooth and nail even Thanos's lieutenants were finding it difficult to gain the upper hand. Cull soon found himself getting knocked down as a kinetically energized T'Challa launched at him and landed a mighty punch on the huge alien while Proxima Midnight fought viciously against Bruce and Natasha as the pair led several of the Wakandan soldiers.

On the other side of the plains, Steve fought off more Outriders while Arianna, Bucky and Thor's new companions fought in the center of the battle and Sam and Rhodey flew overhead to rain down bullets and minor mines. And despite the fact they were still outnumbered, the instant teamwork between the new Avengers was almost impossible for even Arianna to believe despite the fact that she was right in the thicket of things and proved to be stronger than any army.

At one point, Arianna and Bucky had found themselves back to back, fighting alongside one of Thor's companions whom Arianna had soon discovered was a _talking_ raccoon (not only could he talk, he also proved to have no filter; and to think Steve had thought Tony was foul-mouthed…). It hadn't been long before the two humans had noticed an entire pack of the Outriders were coming at them from every direction, circling them and cutting them off from escape.

Without needing to communicate, Arianna ducked while Bucky reached down and plucked up the raccoon that was firing his machine gun at the Outriders while yelling, "Come and get some space dogs!"

The raccoon didn't even blink as he was seized by the scruff of his neck and lifted up while Bucky began to fire one handedly at the Outriders. The former Winter Soldier spun on the spot, he and the raccoon continuing to fire so that their bullets shot out in a 360 degree circle while Arianna remained crouched by Bucky's feet to stay out of their range. Between the two males, they cleared the entire ring of Outriders, the raccoon continually yelling filthy insults as he fired until Bucky dropped him back down with the same abruptness he had picked the mammal up with.

Arianna straightened up from her position at the same time the raccoon - unruffled by Bucky's abruptness - turned to the tall man and asked, "How much for the gun?"

"It's not for sale." Bucky grunted just before he crouched with his left hand held out and opened.

Arianna leapt up onto his open palm and the White Wolf launched her high up into the air where she twirled with her one vibranium knife and one regular knife she had recovered from a dead Outrider. She killed four Outriders as she fell from the sky in a spinning wheel of death, landing in a perfect crouch not far away with her vibranium knife held up and ready while her other hand was held out horizontally to balance her landing.

She took off almost as soon as she landed, but not before she heard the raccoon ask Bucky, "Ok - how much for the arm?"

She almost smiled, but her amusement quickly faded as she saw her husband surrounded by a pack of Outriders, barely holding two off of his neck with his shields. Her eyes narrowed and she raised her right arm.

Steve grunted as a vibranium knife imbedded itself in the neck of one of the Outriders that had been trying to get at him to use as a chew toy. Not even pausing in surprise, he swung his other arm around, using his shield to lift up the other surviving Outrider, while simultaneously pulling out the vibranium knife from the dead monster. The other Outrider didn't see it coming as Steve drove the vibranium knife into the creature's stomach before using the pointed tip of his shield to slice the Outrider's neck.

Arianna meanwhile had worked her way around toward him, and she shot him a wearied grin.

"How goes it, soldier?" She asked, just before she ducked and Steve thrust out his arm to stab his shield into an Outrider that had tried to come at them.

Arianna straightened up again as Steve threw the dead creature aside, before he handed her her vibranium knife along with an admonishing glare.

"Don't try save me again. You only have this one left." He warned and Arianna scoffed.

"You're welcome." She answered before they both spun around to avoid another Outrider that came ploughing at them.

Steve caught the creature around the middle with his shielded arm, and he smashed it into the ground at the same time Arianna jumped. Her knife went through the creature's head before it knew what had hit it, and the couple straightened up just as Thor blasted another pack of Outriders nearby.

The god landed near them, and he brightened slightly as he spotted their familiar faces.

"Lady Ria! Captain!" Thor greeted.

"Thor." Arianna replied, though it came out in more of a huff as she caught her breath in the brief respite Thor had provided them.

Steve - while also exhausted - managed a friendly nod toward the god as well and he asked, "New haricut?"

Steve gestured to Thor's cropped head in explanation, and the god grinned.

"I notice you copied my beard." Thor returned cheekily, motioning toward his own bearded chin.

Steve lifted a hand in surprise toward his stubbly jaw before he nodded with a small smile. Arianna's eyes meanwhile had slid to the side as the tree Thor had arrived with appeared beside the group, grunting as he (at least, Arianna assumed it was a he) threw out his arm which lengthened to stab brutally through several of the Outriders.

"Oh," Thor introduced when he saw where Arianna's had wandered to. "By the way, this is a friend of mine, Tree."

Steve also turned to look at the tree that had lifted up the Outriders he had stabbed like a skewer, and the tree paused midway through thrashing the monstrous aliens.

"I am Groot!" The tree called over.

Arianna blinked while Steve, not even remotely surprised anymore even when faced with a talking tree, pointed to himself and he answered, "I am Steve Rogers."

"Er… Arianna Rogers." Arianna added as she pointed to herself awkwardly.

"I am Groot." The tree - Groot - replied before he returned to smashing the Outriders he had captured repeatedly into the ground.

"You two married?" Thor meanwhile asked in surprise as he looked over at the couple whom he hadn't seen in several years.

"Yeah… not long after you left the last time actually." Arianna explained.

"Well, well! It gives my heart great joy to hear such wonderful news." Thor nodded his approval, when suddenly something caused a minor Earthquake just outside the Wakandan barriers.

The trio turned to look as something caused the Earth itself to tremble and crest like a wave, as if something were burrowing below. That something soon turned out to be disc-shaped machines with sharpened edges that rolled out from under the ground in the middle of the plains and started to roll right at the fighting people.

"Although it seems my congratulations will have to wait." Thor muttered grimly as he swung his axe into a ready position before his body.

"So it does." Steve agreed, pulling Arianna back with him swiftly as they started backward and away from the whirring discs of doom.

There was nothing the pair could do that could stop the approaching machines, but Arianna grimaced when she heard T'Challa yelling urgently to his people, "Fall back! Fall back now!"

"Sam!" Arianna yelled while Thor took off quickly into the air. "Rhodey! Can you guys take those things out?"

"Affirmative." Sam answered into their ear pieces at the same time Rhodey called, "Focus that fire on the left flank, Sam."

Arianna and Steve looked back to see Rhodey and Sam barely manage to take down one of the machines, before they looked forward sharply once more as the hairs on the backs of their necks rose. Arianna leapt to the side, dodging an Outrider as it launched itself at her, while Steve impaled yet another. The two quickly fell back into war with the Outriders, back to back as they fought for their lives.

"Just how many of these are there?!" Arianna yelled in frustration as she killed what felt like the thousandth creature.

"Ria! Behind you!"

Arianna looked up at Steve's cry, just in time to see that while they had been fighting, the spinning machines had caught up with them. Not far away, she could see Natasha and General Okoye also in the line of destruction, and Arianna shouted, "Nat! General!"

The two women looked up at the same time Steve lunged, grabbing Arianna and pulling her out of the machines' intended path. Natasha and Okoye would not have been as lucky, trapped right in the center as they had been, but it turned out that it didn't matter as a red-clothed figure suddenly dropped out of the sky right before them.

Wanda's entire body glowed with her power as she held up her hands to stop the oncoming machines, circling the dark grey discs in red energy before she thrust them up into the air and away from the people on the ground.

"Wanda!" Steve yelled in warning as a group of Outriders came charging at the exposed young woman.

Arianna, Steve and Natasha made to move to protect the younger woman but Wanda deftly dealt with the creatures herself as she smashed the discs into the Outriders, killing the creatures instantly and disabling the machines simultaneously.

Arianna had to smile as the dust from the crashing debris lifted, leaving the group unharmed, and then she laughed as she heard Okoye ask in disbelief, "Why was she up there all this time?"

Steve was more serious and he didn't pause as he yelled, "Wanda, you focus on those machines! Nat, Ria, you take the left and right plains."

"Sure." Arianna answered as she took off immediately after a group of Outriders that were fast approaching a squadron of Wakandan soldiers.

Natasha however paused and she questioned Steve, "And where will you be?"

"After the stunt Ria pulled earlier to protect me? I'm not letting her out of my sight." Steve answered as he took off after Arianna.

Natasha snorted, watching Steve leap to protect Arianna.

"Those idiot lovebirds."

* * *

Arianna had no idea how much longer they had been fighting when Sam's voice called sharply into their ears.

"Guys! We got a Vision situation here-"

Sam cut off with a grunt as an Outrider leapt high enough to catch him and both went tumbling to the ground. Arianna's head shot up in alarm while Steve yelled urgently, "Somebody get to Vision!"

He turned as he spoke, impaling another Outrider, while Arianna took off toward the forest as Rhodey called, "They're behind the palace! Hurry, I'm stuck!"

"I got him!" Bruce shouted as he took off in the Hulkbuster armour.

"I'm with you." Arianna called as she followed Bruce, killing any Outriders that came in her path.

Steve chased behind her, protecting her rear even as he caught up to her at the same time Wanda's voice called over the comms, "On my way-"

The young woman cut off strangely, but Arianna trusted her friend to handle herself. What concerned her more was the fact that Cull Obsidion was missing. Her fears were confirmed as Bruce yelled over the comms, "Guys! Vision needs backup now!"

"Affirm-" Steve began when suddenly another group of Outriders cut into Arianna and his path.

"Damn." He muttered between grit teeth.

But Arianna yelled at him, "Go! I got them, get to Vision!"

Steve hesitated very briefly but he knew she was right.

"Don't die!" He yelled at his wife as Arianna took on the Outriders, distracting and killing them so Steve could blow past.

Arianna didn't respond, unable to as she fought for her life, but Steve had to believe she would make it - he couldn't risk thinking what he would do if she didn't. Steve raced on, reaching the forest that encircled the palace. Rushing between the trees and leaping over minor ditches, Steve charged into a small opening off to the side of T'Challa's palace just in time to see Corvus Glaive bent over a fallen and mortally wounded Vision.

Corvus Glaive looked up at the sound of footsteps but by then it was already too late - Steve launched himself at the alien that wasn't dead as they had presumed. That was a mistake, and he dearly hoped they weren't about to pay for it as he yelled at Vision, "Get out of here!"

Vision groaned as he rolled himself painfully up off the ground while Steve engaged Corvus Glaive in a duel.

Arianna meanwhile whirled around as she stabbed the last two of the Outriders that had attacked her. She huffed, breathing heavily, and allowed herself three seconds - then she was running again, heading in the direction Steve had disappeared to.

"Steve? Wanda? Updates on Vision?" She asked as she ran breathlessly, trying to muster her energy even as she used up what reserves she had left. "Steve?"

Steve didn't reply, unable to as he tried to keep Corvus Glaive off of him. It was a losing battle - while Steve had managed to disarm the alien, sending the male's spear flying off to the ground, the alien's superior strength had allowed him to throw Steve into the ground where he then proceeded to try to strangle the Captain. Steve grunted, attempting to keep Corvus Glaive's hands from tightening around his neck, but he knew that it was only a matter of time.

' _Ria!_ ' Steve thought desperately, when suddenly a spear went straight through Corvus Glaive's chest.

Steve gasped as the alien fell aside, dead, revealing Vision standing behind him. The android was clutching his injured side, barely able to straighten up. Indeed, as soon as he saw Steve was save, Vision collapsed forward, shimmering strangely as his powers failed him.

"I thought I told you to run." Steve scolded halfheartedly as he crawled over to help Vision up.

Vision smiled wanely as both he and Steve straightened up wearily off the ground.

"We don't trade lives, Captain." The android reminded quietly. "You didn't want me to give up my hope for a future with Wanda - I, too, do not wish you to give up what you and Arianna can have."

Steve's lips twitched up tiredly before his head shot up as he heard footsteps. Both Steve and Vision relaxed as Arianna burst upon them, the woman's expression falling into relief as she saw them both safe. Steve rose, catching Arianna in his arms as they both took a brief moment's respite.

"You're not hurt?" Arianna asked breathlessly, and Steve shook his head.

"We were lucky." He murmured, resting his forehead against his wife's just as Wanda came flying down upon them as well.

The young woman barely spared the older couple a glance as she landed beside Vision, eyes grazing over him urgently as she assessed his injuries.

"Are you okay?" Wanda asked breathlessly.

Vision began to nod in response before he suddenly let out a pained yell as the gem in his forehead glowed. Arianna and Steve's heads shot up and they looked over as the pain passed from Vision's head, leaving the android wide-eyed and gasping with fear.

"He's here." Vision whispered urgently.

Wanda lent back slightly, shock making her numb, while Steve and Arianna warily looked around. The Captain took a step forward, drawing Arianna behind him so they were back to back as they looked around in the suddenly too-silent forest, searching for any sign of the infamous titan although they had no idea what to expect yet.

Steve slowly raised his hand to his earcomm, and he called quietly but firmly, "Everyone on my position. We have incoming."

He removed his hand from his earpiece and lowered it to reach for Arianna's. The pair clasped hands, holding each other for comfort as they waited warily. Natasha and Sam were first to arrive beside them, coming to a stop not far away as they too looked about at the quiet forest with unease. Bruce, in a much beaten-up Hulkbuster that was missing one arm, appeared next as he trudged up behind Natasha at the same time that T'Challa and Okoye appeared on the other side of their small clearing. Not far behind them came Rhodey and Thor's friend, Groot, followed by Bucky.

Bucky nodded at the couple as he arrived, briefly clasping Steve's shoulder as the two best friends glanced each other over, checking for injuries. Natasha and Arianna meanwhile also turned to one another briefly as they waited, their eyes seeking the other for comfort as the tension seemed to thicken the very air they breathed.

The group had barely assembled when there was a noise from behind Bruce and the air itself crinkled with the power of the mysterious energy that swirled there. The team all turned in mixed fearful anticipation as a glowing grey-green light appeared in the air and Arianna's hand tightened briefly on Steve's before she released him as they stood side by side to face the new threat. And Arianna couldn't quite stop the way her lips parted in shock when it did arrive.

A tall beast of a creature that stood like a man yet was anything appeared from the light. As tall and wide as the Hulkbuster and with purple skin that was indented in areas as if the titan were made of rock, Thanos was like nothing Arianna could have prepared herself for. It wasn't that he looked monstrous as the Chitauri or the Outriders had, nor was it his physique encased as it was in gold armour necessarily that made her hair stand on end. No, it was the raw power that radiated off this man and the aura that demanded respect and fear. A power that she would have assumed to be due to the glittering gems that rested in the gold gauntlet he wore on his left hand, but which Arianna knew instantly was entirely the titan's own.

Arianna gripped her remaining vibranium knife tightly, holding it defensively before her body as Bruce murmured grimly, "Cap. That's him."

Natasha stood warily, grasping her one remaining sword while Bucky lifted his machine gun as Thanos faced them wordlessly, his expression unreadable as he observed them. Steve raised his shields in an offensive stance as he ordered quietly but firmly, "Eyes up. Stay sharp."

While Steve raised his shields in an offensive stance as he ordered quietly but firmly, "Eyes up. Stay sharp."

Arianna, Natasha, Okoye, Bucky, Rhodey and Thor's friend the tree fell back, taking the defensive as they protected a dithering Wanda as the young woman remained beside her injured boyfriend. Steve meanwhile led the charge as Thanos started walking slowly toward them. Sam and T'Challa flanked Steve while Bruce overtook the Captain, taking point on the attack in the hopes that the Hulkbuster armour might last longer against Thanos.

But not even the Hulkbuster could fight a near-invincible threat. With a wave of his hand, Thanos sent Bruce flying harmlessly right through him before sealing Bruce and the Hulkbuster into the rocky mountain face behind him, immobilizing the scientist without even breaking pace. Arianna's jaw locked at the display of power that was nothing like the physical strength of the Hulk: this was something far greater, requiring no noise or crunching brutality.

She watched as Steve leapt up next to delay the titan, but in vain - with another side sweep of his hand, Thanos tossed Steve aside like a leaf in the wind. T'Challa and Sam fared no better as Thanos punched the Wakandan king to the ground with seemingly little effort but with such force that the kinetic energy built up in the Black Panther suit was released in a miniature earthquake on the forest floor. Sam didn't even reach the titan as he was sent crashing into the ground, his wings rendered useless with another easy wave of T'Challa's hand.

Without needing to exchange words, Arianna and Natasha dashed forward next while Rhodey flew up over them. Taking on a pincer approach, the two women raced around and tried to launch themselves at Thanos from the sides while Rhodey tried to steal Thanos's attention as he fired at the titan from above. But the bullets did nothing against the giant, and with a simple clenching of his fist, Thanos crumpled Rhodey's suit in midair, squeezing in on the Colonel before tossing him aside.

Arianna barely dodged the War Machine armour as it went crashing into the Earth beside her, the movement costing her seconds. In that time, they heard a blast from behind as Wanda finally caved into Vision's pleading and began to attempt to destroy the Mind Stone welded into her boyfriend's forehead. Natasha used the same time to attempt to charge at Thanos while from the back, Okoye and Bucky moved in as well in a last ditch effort to keep Thanos back and buy Wanda extra seconds if necessary.

But Thanos, frowning now in seeming irritation rather than any anger at their attacks, waved his hand once more. Natasha was sent flying back into a tree before collapsing to the ground while Okoye's spears and Bucky's bullets flew back toward their owners. Natasha gasped as she was trapped by spears that came piercing out of the Earth itself, keeping her down while Okoye was thrown off into the distance. Bucky and Arianna tried to charge onward, but with another wave of his hand, Thanos sent Bucky flying off in the opposite direction from Okoye before catching Arianna in his free hand.

The purple stone in his gauntlet glowed as Arianna raised her vibranium knife, and Arianna blinked in shock as she found herself suddenly armed with bubbles that floated harmlessly into the air. The sight seemed to stir something in Groot, who yelled angrily before flinging his arms out to create thick vines that attacked Thanos while Arianna struggled in the titan's grasp. But Thanos easily broke free of Groot's attack, throwing the teenage tree aside as he did so, before he looked down at Arianna as she struggled in his grasp.

"He spoke of you." Thanos commented, making Arianna frown in confusion even as she grit her teeth and tried to kick Thanos away to no avail. "I hope you will remember him as I said he would be."

With that, Thanos threw Arianna away at the same time that Steve staggered back to his feet, the only one able to recover from the titan's first blow.

"Ria!" Steve gasped, unable to yell as his heart desired to as Thanos tossed Arianna aside.

It had been an effortless movement on the titan's part but his sheer physical strength had sent Arianna crashing through leaves and branches before she finally collided heavily into the ground several hundred yards away. She rolled to a stop not far from where Okoye had landed in a similar fashion, causing the injured General to look over with a grimace as Arianna came an unmoving heap beside her.

Steve meanwhile turned back to the enormous fighter before him, and his face was twisted with furious determination as he charged at the titan once more. Thanos looked down in mild surprise as Steve skid around the titan's legs to come up close against Thanos, something none of the Avengers had yet managed. His surprise made Thanos pause briefly while Steve punched at Thanos, attempting to find a weak spot as he jabbed his pointed shield into Thanos's exposed skin and the linings of the titan's armour before he punched up at Thanos's jaw.

The titan's head snapped back at the sudden attack, and Thanos couldn't help but be impressed by the human man before him. He reminded Thanos of the iron-clad male who had tried to stop him on Titan, and the same twinge of respect swelled in Thanos's chest as he reached out his gloved hand to stop the incensed Captain's desperate assault, only to have Steve grit his teeth as he held the giant back with his own bare hands.

"A pity." Thanos murmured, making Steve look up in mild confusion even as he fought with clenched teeth to keep Thanos back.

But Thanos was running out of time as Wanda's power began to crack the Mind Stone and so with a sigh of respect for his opponent, Thanos punched Steve with his free hand. Like that even Captain America was knocked aside, his hands slipping from Thanos's gaunlet-clad hand as Steve fell in an unconscious heap on the ground and Thanos finally stepped down the cleared path toward Wanda and Vision.

Wanda sensed the approaching titan and she turned enough so that she could face Thanos even as her one hand continued to pierce the stone that allowed her only love to live. Vision could see and feel nothing else, already too far gone in the sensation as Wanda chipped away at the source of his life. Thanos knew he had seconds before Wanda finally managed to destroy the stone, and he stepped boldly forward - only to find his way truly blocked for the first time as Wanda lifted her free hand and shot a powerful beam of red energy at him.

Thanos struggled against the power, surprised despite himself at the force. But to his shock, he found himself unable to advance even with the help of the other Infinity Stones and Thanos could only struggle as Wanda looked back at Vision with tears in her eyes. Vision held her gaze, focusing on nothing else as he felt himself slipping further away from the life he had enjoyed so briefly despite his hopes that he'd have more time.

But he let none of that regret show as he faced his heartbroken girlfriend, instead letting only his love shine in his crystal blue eyes as he whispered for her.

"It's all right. I love you."

With those final words, he felt it - the last deep crack in his skull. Wanda felt it too, felt the way the Mind Stone's power suddenly failed against hers, and the tears she'd desperately held back broke free as her expression crumpled at the same time Vision's eyes slid shut.

And then, with an almighty explosion, the Mind Stone cracked into oblivion, taking away Thanos's dream of conquest along with Wanda and Vision's hopes of a future together.

*A/N I know, this is super late! But I've been so busy that it was impossible trying to get this done sooner. So sorry to everyone who waited and hope you can all forgive me! Look out for the next chapter to be released soon and please to anyone who has either already seen the movie (lucky people!) or seen spoilers (shame on you!), please do not write it in reviews and spoil for everyone else!


	9. Failure

Thanos stared in apparent shock as the tremors in the very air after the explosion settled, leaving nothing where Vision had been and a sobbing Wanda crumpled on the ground where she had been thrown back by the blast. She made no sound her grief was so gripping, and Thanos sighed as he approached the heartbroken woman.

"I understand, my child." He soothed reassuringly, making Wanda raise her head in confusion. "Better than anyone."

Wanda glared balefuly at the titan as he spoke. She had no energy left after expending everything she had to destroy the Mind Stone while keeping Thanos back long enough to kill the one love of her life, but she had enough to hiss out at him.

"You could never."

Thanos sighed before he leant down to pat Wanda's head as she lay shaking on the ground.

"Today, I lost more than you can know."

Wanda somehow doubted the titan's words but she was once again confused when he continued calmly, "But now is no time to mourn."

Wanda frowned and she barely managed to lift her head once more as Thanos walked passed her to where Vision had been before he was destroyed in the blast from the Mind Stone.

"Now is no time at all." Thanos mused as he came to a stop just before where Vision had disappeared.

He then lifted his gauntlet and the Time Stone glowed green as it was activated. Wanda turned to look in shock as Vision was brought back to life, piece by agonizing piece - including the Mind Stone that sustained him.

"NO!" Wanda screamed, her voice tearing apart with panic, fear and heartbreak as her lover was resurrected before her eyes.

She tried to get up, to stop the titan, but even she was even fully on her feet Thanos had hit the Sokovian away like a fly. Vision hadn't even opened his eyes before Thanos grasped him by the neck, choking him. The android's eyes shot open in shocked confusion and Vision regained consciousness just in time to see Thanos holding him up by his throat while his free hand reached out toward the android.

And then, just as quickly as he was resurrected, Vision was killed again as Thanos ripped the Mind Stone directly out of the android's metal skull. The colour drained from the android's body as his life was taken, but Thanos didn't even bother to pause to look as he tossed Vision aside like a limp doll. The titan's eyes were fixed solely on the yellow stone he held gleaming in his free hand and which he slowly inserted into the last remaining opening on his gauntlet.

Thanos released a shout of pain and victory as the power of the completed Infinity Gauntlet surged through his body, waiting to be released.

But his victory was abruptly cut short as a bolt of lightning suddenly hit him hard, sending him crashing back into the ground. Meanwhile, from above, Thor finally managed to join the battle after having destroyed the last of the Outriders out on the Wakandan plains. His eyes glowed with his powers of thunder and lightning as he flew down toward Thanos, anger coursing through his veins as he saw the titan that had killed his people and his younger brother.

Thanos struggled to his feet and he shot a beam of powerful energy from the Infinity Gauntlet toward his oncoming attacker. But Thor simply threw his Stormbreaker in retaliation and the powerful axe shone with its owner's powers of lightning as it cut right through Thanos's energy blast. Thanos's eyes widened as the axe approached but he had no time to respond before Stormbreaker had cut through the last of Thanos's attack and imbed itself right in the middle of the titan's chest.

Thanos gasped, dropping to his knee as he clutched at the axe that had pierced his very armour to cut into his chest, while Thor dropped down before the great titan. His mismatched eyes merciless and filled with grieving anger, Thor stepped forward before he grasped Thanos's giant head in his hand and forced the titan to meet his gaze.

"I told you…" Thor said in a low, deadly voice. "You'd die for that."

With that, Thor shoved Stormbreaker deeper into Thanos's chest. Thanos gasped and let out a loud groan of pain as the axe wedged itself deeper into his chest but Thor was relentless in his assault as he watched Thanos gasp and cry in pain without remorse. To the side, Steve finally stirred and he raised his head just as Thor shoved Stormbreaker into Thanos's chest to the hilt and Thanos let out a deep, laboured breath.

For a moment, the world stilled. Indeed, it felt like the universe was waiting on bated breath as Thor glared down at the Titan while Thanos breathed deeply as the axe remained imbedded in his chest. Steve's eyes were wide and he wondered briefly if they had actually done it. If they'd actually managed to stop the great titan.

But then, Thanos raised his head slightly to meet Thor's gaze once more.

"You should…" Thanos rasped out, his eyes blinking blearily as he seemed to die before them. "You should..."

Thor's expression and gaze was cold as he simply waited for the giant titan to die. But then Thanos breathed out his last words to them.

"You should have gone for the head."

Before Thor - or anyone for that matter - could react, the titan lifted his gloved hand. Thor's mismatched eyes widened and he began, "NO-!"

And Thanos snapped his gold fingers.

A sudden blast of light escaped from the Infinity Gauntlet, causing Steve to raise a hand to briefly cover his eyes before he was blinded. Then, as suddenly as the light appeared, it was gone.

Steve looked up to see Thor and Thanos both staring at the Infinity Gauntlet, which was now ruined and smoking as if it had been caught in an explosion. Thor's face was slackened with fear and anger, and he questioned fearfully, "What did you do?"

As Thanos didn't respond, Thor demanded more loudly but unable to mask his unease, "What did you do?!"

Thanos simply smiled before he staggered back and disappeared into a portal he opened with a simple gesture of his hand. And right before their eyes, the mad titan disappeared from sight and reach, leaving only Stormbreaker which fell with a clang to the ground.

Steve staggered to his feet, wide-eyed and inexplicably afraid. When Bruce had said Thanos would have the power to destroy worlds with a snap of ihs fingers if he succeeded in collecting all the Stones, had he been metaphorical? Or literal? Had Thanos succeeded? Or had he run away after the damage Thor had inflicted?

"Where'd he go?" Steve asked warily as he looked around before looking back at his friend where Thor was standing, breathing heavily with shocked eyes as he stared at the spot where Thanos had disappeared.

"Thor? Where'd he go?"

Steve's questions were answered when Bucky called uncertainly, "Steve?"

Steve looked over to see Bucky staring at his hands as his limbs seemed to start to disintegrate.

The former Winter Soldier looked up just before he buckled and collapsed; and Steve watched as his best friend turned into ash right before his eyes, Bucky's entire body dissolving before he even hit the ground. Only the man's gun remained as it clattered to the earth beside the pile of ash and Steve's heart constricted. _Not again._

His heartbreak was followed quickly by fear and his heart quickened even as Steve's head whipped around.

"Ria!" Steve yelled, getting to his feet and tearing through the forest while desperation pumped his blood and thundered in his ears.

"ARIANNA!"

Not two miles away, deeper in the forest, Arianna staggered to her feet, exhausted and feeling extremely weak after the hit Thanos had landed on her.

T'Challa was not far away where he knelt beside his fallen general, Okoye as tired and winded as Arianna. The Wakandan king offered his hand to help Okoye up as he ordered tiredly but kindly, "Up, General. Up! This is no place to die."

The words were barely out of his mouth when T'Challa dissolved literally in front of their eyes. Arianna watched in horror while Okoye's eyes widened even as she fell back down when the hand her king offered to help her up disappeared with the rest of his body right before her. In the space of two heartbeats, the Black Panther was just a pile of ash on the ground and Arianna's breath caught in cold fear.

" _My king._ " The general of the Dora Milaje whimpered in her native tongue.

She trembled as the realization sank in that she had watched the man who was her nation's leader, the man she had sworn to protect, the man who was her friend, disappear before her eyes.

"Oh, my God." Arianna whispered, while Okoye began to wail in grief.

Arianna's first instinct was to check her watch, her eyes seeking the monitor that told her her baby was fine. But even the small blinking pulse couldn't ease the dread and fear that squeezed her heart as thoughts whirled through her head at the same time her mind completely numbed.

The realization was sinking in: they had lost. And in what had to have been a literal snap of his fingers - how else could the sudden death of T'Challa be explained? - Thanos was killing them all. How many, who knew? An exact half of the population? Or had that been an exaggeration as the phrase "wipe us out with a snap of his fingers" clearly hadn't been?

A noise - like a small groan - from behind made Arianna whip around just in time to meet Sam's eyes as the Falcon raised his head one last time before he too disappeared into nothing.

 _No!_ Arianna thought, her hands lifting to cover her mouth.

Just a second later, Rhodey walked out of the trees a little way away from where Sam's existence had been wiped away, and the General called, "Sam! Sam? Ria, where's Sam?"

His voice shook just slightly as he spoke, as though reading the inevitable answer in her horrified expression - an expression that, as Rhodey bent his head in mourning, turned to terror.

"Steve." Arianna whispered, before she screamed loudly, "Steve!"

Fear gripping her heart, Arianna tore through the forest, ignoring the pain as she searched for her husband while she begged silently to the heavens.

' _Don't let him be gone. Please don't let him be gone._ '

"-a! ARIANNA!"

Arianna's legs almost gave out beneath her in relief when she heard his voice ringing from somewhere amongst the trees.

As it was, she did stumble; but Steve - bursting out from around a bush - caught her quickly and crushed her in his arms.

"Thank God." He whispered. "If I'd lost you too..."

Arianna buried her face in his chest, feeling the same relief mixed with the heartbreak of losing so many of their friends - their _family_ \- in one tiny moment that Steve was feeling. She could also see Natasha now, coming through the trees behind Steve, and behind the bleached blonde spy was Thor and Bruce. She could also just see the pointy ears of the racoon-guy that had tried to steal Bucky's arm- Bucky.

Her heart lurched, tightening painfully, as her eyes scanned the area and she realized Steve was shaking, his head buried in her shoulder. _No, not again… Not Sam_ and _Bucky._

Arianna could also just see Vision's colourless in the distance, the android's still body lying almost carelessly on the ground near the underbrush. The fact that Wanda wasn't near the dead android in some form of mourning told Arianna everything she needed to know about the young woman's fate. She also didn't see Groot, the tree that had arrived with Thor, and Arianna knew the tree's fate from the drooping whiskers on the racoon.

' _So many… so many in one single blow...'_

Then there were the ones they didn't yet know about.

Had Tony survived? Clint? Oh, God almighty, she prayed that Thanos hadn't killed Laura or any of the kids. And if Pepper hadn't survived… What about Fury? Maria? Sharon? Scott Lang, or his daughter because Arianna knew how desperately the ex-convict loved his daughter. What about the kid Tony had brought along to Germany, Spiderman? If the kid had parents, friends, family...

The thoughts flew around in Arianna's head as she tried to come to terms with what Thanos's victory meant, the losses for the universe as a consequence of their failure, their first complete failure as Avengers.

But everything screeched to a halt when an urgent beeping sounded from her and Steve's wrists.

The couple stilled, and slowly they raised their eyes while the alarm on their watches beeped insistently. Both Steve and Arianna read the identical fear in the other's eyes as they prolonged the moment when they had to check the warning signal; as the dread of what they feared yet knew had to be true gripped their bodies and refused to let them go.

It was Steve who had the courage to look down first, to click the screen on his watch face. Arianna didn't have to look at her own; she saw the way Steve's face went white, how his lips parted and his eyes filled with an unspeakable anguish.

"Steve?"

It was Natasha who spoke tentatively, warily - her tone laced with apprehension. Steve couldn't reply, indeed it looked like he might have gone into shock.

"What's wrong with them?" The racoon next to question.

As Natasha hesitated, Thor said quietly, "Captain? Lady Ria?"

Arianna didn't reply; she couldn't. She was feeling extremely lightheaded and no matter how tightly her hands gripped Steve's arms for stability, it did little to help. And deep down, she knew nothing could or ever would help.

Before she knew it, Arianna's eyes rolled back - and for the first time in her life the Avenger lost herself to blackness from the sheer pain of the heart: a mother's broken heart.

Just before she fainted, Arianna distantly heard her name being called by familiar voices.

"RIA!"

And then, all she knew was darkness.

 **EN** D ARc ...

*A/N *Author runs away as fast as she can and hides where no-one can find her*.

In all seriousness, this killed me to write. It might be surprising to some of you that this was the first thing I started writing for this book (some of you may have already picked up on my sadistic and slightly masochistic tendency). Coming out of the movie last year, I felt that the ending was so beautiful in its own terrible way (I promise I'm not morbid) that I had to take some inspiration from it and continue the theme and mood that the movie climaxes in.

I admit my first thought was to kill Arianna (temporarily! I think we all know at least some of the dead will be coming back somehow in the next 'Avengers' given that the MCU killed off basically everyone who will be having sequels in the next Phase). But then what I think is a better idea surfaced (really, I promise I'm not morbid).

I will be doing the next movie, so please stay on the lookout. Thank you to all of you who have stuck with this thus far, and hope to see you all again after Marvel's climatic piece!


End file.
